Ripple Effects

by Jordan Hart, Bruno Chiroleu (Illustrator), Justin Harder (Illustrator)

In a world that is no stranger to superheroes, George Gibson is invulnerable to physical harm but fights every day to stay alive. Suffering from an acute case of type 1 diabetes, his invincibility is offset by a defective pancreas that must be monitored and treated daily. This incurable disease makes George's body both his greatest strength and his eternal weakness. What sets this series apart is a positive, person-first representation about life with a chronic disease . . . which just so happens to also include superhuman abilities. But, Ripple Effects isn't just a story about a character with an incurable disease. It's also a thrilling and relevant superhero tale that touches on the difficulty of finding a work/life balance, the class struggles and economic inequality experienced by many in our nation, and the desire to help others during trying times.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Adult, Graphic Novels Comics

Kindle Edition

Published November 27, 2022

Reviews

[akacya ❦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 reads: 302/300

in this comic collection, we follow george gibson, a man with type 1 diabetes who has the power of invulnerability. with mounds of medical debt in his past, present, and future, and a body actively fighting against him, george must decide what kind of super-powered person he wants to be.

give me a million stories featuring disabled heroes!! i loved the discussions surrounding george’s chronic illness and how this played into his decision on whether to become a hero. in the deluxe edition, each issue is followed by an essay from authors with various chronic illnesses, and i really enjoyed these insights. i would recommend this to anyone looking for a heavily character-driven superhero origin story.

[Zedsdead · Rating 2 out of 5]

A normal unemployable college grad suddenly finds himself with both physical invulnerability and Type 1 diabetes. He struggles to navigate an oppressive chronic illness and a superpower of dubious utility (to wit: his first encounter with crimey types: when shooting him doesn't get the job done, they just grab him, wrap him in chains, and toss him off a pier.)

After every issue is a four page essay by a writer with a chronic illness. The essays are illuminating--best part of the book, in fact--but they repeatedly grind the story to a halt. The format needed tweaking.

I love the originality of this approach. The author gets to tell a superhero origin story, with all the fumbles of first time hero-ing, and also explore the challenges of managing an "invisible" disease and negotiating who to share his condition with.

Ripple Effect is a worthy undertaking but it doesn't execute. Too many plotting head-scratchers. Like, the Superman analog doesn't have time to dispose of two IEDs...but she has time to go to Ripple, convince him to help (at great cost to him), fly him to one IED, and then go dispose of the other?

And the ending, which sees every character in the book cheering Ripple as a great hero for...phoning a different hero to deal with the supervillain. It came off as patronizing and infantilizing, like they were cheering on a toddler at the park. smh.

I'm glad I read it for the essays, but I ultimately came away disappointed.

[Kate Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Low star rating due to misinformation. The main character is supposedly T1D experiencing a severe low blood sugar, and suddenly they're searching for a glucose pen? Sorry, but those don't exist. We have glucagon pens, which most of us T1Ds don't carry around regularly, and glucagon is a hormone, not glucose itself. At the end of the issue, Dr. Teresa Rojas writes an essay about living as an insulin-dependent T2D and talks about the invention of the insulin pen, saying that we see the main character with one in the book. The only pen he ever has is used to treat a severe low, which is the exact opposite of how you would use an insulin pen. So what does he have? While this may be a fantasy superhero comic, it still takes place in "the real world," and I think it's irresponsible to use a real-world, life-threatening, chronic illness without representing it clearly and accurately. So, no, I don't recommend this one.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to rate a graphic novel (or maybe onky because I never have), but this one stands out. The main character and superhero has type-1 diabetes, and he incurable disease plus his super power create a great story. Instead of the standard aspirational vibe a comic book provides, this one really makes you think how much you are a superhero in your normal life with whatever challenges you face.

[D.J. Desmond · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 3.5
I enjoyed this. It felt a lot like Kickass, but less nerdy and more sentimental. The paradox of having powers and a disability is something that should be explored more. It can really empower folks with disabilities to focus more on their strengths.
The art was solid. I like some of the creative choices made throughout. Overall it was a positive reading experience

[Morgan Joyner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why so short? Reminds me of Strong Female Protagonist

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exploring the connections between disability and superpowers the stories are collected to demonstrate how the world is a series of ripple effects and that those who have disorders such as paranoid schizophrenia or type 1 diabetes have superhero abilities because of the change in their physiological state. Though it's also much deeper as each of the stories shares a personal short essay with a description of the approach based on the lived experience.

The illustrations are unique to the story and remind me somewhat of Mis(h)adra.

[Henrique Justini]

As formas de encarar o sofrimento podem ser redimensionadas a partir do ponto em que estamos abertos para o afeto. Hart nos guia com sua personagem principal por meio de uma crônica doença invísivel que desponta como uma materialidade nociva em seu dia-a-dia. Além disso, George Gibson tem iniciada sua vida como super-herói. Ele mesmo, ao admitir que a vida é justa e injusta ao mesmo tempo, é transformado a partir das perspectivas que entram na sua vida, referindo à história como elemento passível de transformação. De outra forma, viver seria uma inércia constante.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was really well done. It's about a man who along with getting powers also became diabetic. Now he has to manage it while also learning how to fight crime. Each issue also has an essay in the back about someone who battles an invisible disease. My wife has MS and you can see the days when she is struggling with it while trying to put on a brave face. I thought this was pretty realistic (with the caveat that this world also has a few superheroes).

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The style of the book is unique, which adds to how excellent this graphic narrative is. Hopefully this if the first of many of this type of graphic novel- a compilation of a 5 issue series, interspersed with personal essays of chronic illness relevant to the storyline. An excellent debut in the field of graphic medicine. More please!

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was made in good spirits although i felt the execution of the story was lacking. A Superhero with chronic illness, is an interesting plot though.

This felt like a comic created by lifetime movie network and halmark. Very “after school special”.

40% of Americans live with chronic illness. Thats wild. We are such an unhealthy “developed” country.

3.2✨

[Louis Skye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superhero story that also tackles hidden illnesses. Very unique and intriguing concept. Falls into some cliches but manages to overcome them. None of the characters are perfect; it’s very much an ESH situation. But I like that the protagonist gets called out in his crap and learns to be better.

[Harry Palacio · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s weird to think an author can write your story so concisely and familiar without knowing you. Disabled readers with creative boons would easily relate… man with diabetes who is invulnerable to physical attacks … a woman tries to conscript him to save the world… riveting

[Christa Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice plot line with the character with diabetes.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting characters full of realism and depth. George's struggle with his powers and his chronic illness is a great take on the superhero genre.

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Jack Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Infused with humanity on every page and benefiting from powerful asides in the form of rich essays, it’s no wonder this graphic novel earned such prestigious accolades.

[Emily Petersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so lovely. From the forward by the incomparable Matthew Noe, to the amazingly humane art, to the personal essays interwoven throughout the anthology, I was riveted from cover to cover.

[Francis Pellow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very clever way to tell the story of living with an invisible illness

[The_J · Rating 2 out of 5]

An attempt for close and personal, but by trying to equate Type 1 diabetes with superpowers falls flat.

[Candace · Rating 3 out of 5]

i Guess

[M.i. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the fact that its protagonist is dealing with a relatable health issue and from that perspective, his vulnerability makes him intriguing.

[Erica Tuggle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique and heartfelt superhero story with the twist of living with chronic illness

[Vishnu Nanduri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cool reflection on living with chronic and invisible illnesses. It puts it into the perspective of someone experiencing an invisible illness - the physical, mental and social impacts. Probs my favorite graphic novel of the year. The ending is a bit corny but the message is there: speaking about invisible illnesses and finding community helps in immeasurable ways

[Michael Daines · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Ripple Effects” is a cool superhero graphic novel where the person has invulnerability and type 1 diabetes.

It’s a good story and definitely accessible for younger readers. (The edition I read had a learning guide in the back.) There are essays at the end of each of the five chapters by artists who live with invisible illnesses.

[Novel Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Issue #1: 4.5 stars (read September 1st)