Skin Deep

by Flo Woolley

A queer horror romance comic set amongst the dim lights and graceful bodies of a nocturnal dance house.

In a world where appearance and performance are paramount, shy Mareike blends into the decor. Yet when the lead dancer Soňa takes an interest in her, Mareike discovers the intoxication of the spotlight… and the sacrifices needed to remain in it.

Genres: Horror, Graphic Novels, Comics, Queer, LGBT, Lesbian, Graphic Novels Comics

32 pages, Paperback

First published June 26, 2024

Reviews

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all] · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pressure to perform and achieve perfection builds in uneasy tension towards terror in Flo Wooley’s Skin Deep. This gorgeously illustrated graphic novel is brief but drenched in dread, body horror and eerie atmosphere as it recounts the past few weeks in a dance house leading up to the disappearance of the lead dancer. Jealousy and subtle queer desire burns through these pages that that crackle and pop with Wooley’s artwork primarily colored in blue and green for a creepy and sinister little read.

I really love these short comics coming out from Silver Sprocket and Skin Deep is another little gem combining surreal sci-fi vibes with horror and queer characters. This one builds pretty quickly but is just soaked in dread the whole way as the first quick flash of memory foreshadows a gruesome conclusion to come. I loved the eerie nighttime dance hall and the sinister weight of competition that fuels this tiny tale.

Most of all, I loved Flo Wooley’s artwork and I hope we get a full length graphic novel from them soon. Quick but satisfying.

3.5/5

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

a dreamy little graphic novel. i love the glittering art and the glamourous gothic nighttime vibes, but it felt much too short for me to sink my teeth into! it's eerie and beautiful, but there's very little story here. i can only hope woolley will release longer form work in the future.

[bri]

a queer horror comic for fans of E.M. Carroll!! I wish this was so much longer but I loved the vibes and the style and will absolutely be checking out more of this author’s work!

[hope h. · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a beautifully eerie little comic! my only disappointment was that it was so short because holy shit i want to live in this art style forever. beautifully done fluid linework and a well chosen muted palette that combine to give the story this feeling of like...simultaneous creeping dread and frenetic energy. just really cool and so well done for such a short piece! also it gave me serious suspiria vibes which is always a plus, 10/10.

[Larakaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous. Unsettling.

[thosemeddlingkids · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Queer horror graphic novel. Loved the artwork and green theme throughout. This wasn't as disturbing or creepy as anticipated, and I think there could have been a bit more leaning into the watching or envy of the dancer.

Still a very beautiful graphic novel. This is labeled/marketed as a horror romance, but for the romance readers - this is romantic subplot at best, no HEA/HFN to be seen.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

SKIN DEEP is a horror-themed short story translated to the comics medium. Don't expect a lot of background or world-building here, it's just a creepy, alternate world story about the price a troupe of dancers is willing to pay to be the focal point of the spotlight, even for a brief moment.

[Karina (shedreamsinwords) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows Mareike and her fellow dancers at a nocturnal dance house. She blends into the shadows, but once the star dancer takes interest in her, Mareike gets a taste of the limelight and suddenly desires more.

At barely over 30 pages, this little comic has such stunning artwork with a muted palette that served a tempting allure for the eerie atmosphere. This does contain body horror which was quite interesting.

Calling this a queer horror romance is a stretch because there was on mostly only the allusion of a romance happening. I really wish this was longer because I enjoyed the vibes & thought it was fantastic for such a short little read.

[Dani 🐝 · Rating 5 out of 5]

okay this was so weird and so good. very creepy, very eerie, *very* pretty. would love to read a collection from Woolley. so glad I stumbled across this in my local independent bookstore 🥰

[Harry Palacio · Rating 4 out of 5]

What could be said of immaculate talent is it a curse or an illness perhaps what we see is the pain being unraveled

[Ags · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is awesome! It's teeny tiny short, but still complete. I really enjoyed this, and I'd love to read a longer graphic novel by this artist. I enjoyed this so much (and it is so short) that I read it twice in one sitting. I really appreciated that this was a full story, a character study, and a horror surprise all at once.

Really amazing example of a graphic short story/comic's art style, panels, and language/text all being a great, thoughtful combo. I loved the green color and sketchy but detailed drawings, which made it feel sci-fi, and it's just so pretty. Creative use of doubled and layered drawings to depict dancers' movements - which were both beautiful and a bit grotesque. Cool!! Super expressive, and the dances end up being thematic/foreshadowing in a way I didn't notice at first (which made the re-read really fun!).

Overall, super fun, packs a punch, and I totally recommend.

[goodreed · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Interesting short story, but not much depth. The illustrations are definitely the highlight, lovely panel layouts! Nice printing too.

[Dylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Great short story. I wish there was more!

[Elyse Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short and creepy tale featuring gorgeous illustrations! If you enjoy Emily Carroll's Through the Woods, then you'll probably enjoy this little book.

[✦Ren✦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art is sooo beautiful. I need more ! <3

[Carina Stopenski · Rating 5 out of 5]

a stellar little volume with gorgeous illustrations and a nice, condensed narrative. it can be difficult to throw together something deep when you’re working with the limited page count of a single volume comic, but this one manages to craft a great tale. can’t wait to see what the creator puts together next!

[Lake · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely art, story is a bit cursory and abrupt.

[ezra · Rating 5 out of 5]

the art is gorgeous. its giving suspiria (1977) if it was injected with a little bit of the substance and then put into a graphic novel. my only qualm is that i wish it was longer!!!! i wanted more spooky dancer gayness!!!

[Rick Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based out of a night club, Skin Deep opens to the mysterious disappearance of lead dance performer, Soña. Only one person seems to know why, and the narrative shifts back to follow Mareike to understand what exactly happened to Soña. Serving as a queer supernatural romance and body horror comic all at once, there is decent sense of atmospheric tension that carries this relatively short comic. The storytelling is economical though somewhat cryptic, largely relying on a haunting sense of environment to cultivate the tone. Flo Woolley relies heavily on the shades of greens to apply the uneasy quality of Skin Deep, which overall does look great though it can be a bit overwhelming at times. The linework is expressive and sweeping, but at times a little too soft against the garish greens. It's a solid little comic with great tone and almost hypnotic storytelling.

[timber rose, book witch (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

and the release will be during pride month?!?! win for the community.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’m just sad it wasn’t longer!!!

[Tobias · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty art but boring story

[kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was good. very black swan coded. art style carried this whole thing. subtle gayness? read this in a ten minute sitting or less

[Zaynab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because I remember liking this, I wish I remembered literally anything about the content ... I assume this was a 3.5 rounded up.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great single issue volume from Silver Sprocket, a queer horror romance comic by Flo Woolley in a dance setting, with a (lime--see the color?!) twist. Desire meets dread as wallflower Mareike gets the attention of sensation Sona, the breathlessly exciting center of attention of the audience and all the other admiring dancers. But who/what is it that Mareike really desires? Things turn creepier as the desire heats up, with a sweet hot ending I had not initially expected.

The artwork is terrific, very promising in a (for me) new artist, in her first published story of this length. More, Flo! More! But wait. . . what is happening to me?! I can't take my eyes off Mareike. . .

[Fieke]

Ohh all the Magnus Archives people should get on this.
It just feel like it could be an episode on The Magnus Archives: Season 1 both in terms of the plot, the horror aspects, and the stylistic choices.

It’s very short so I feel like I cannot say much, but this story is so interesting. The art style is beautiful.

[Austin Shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This queer horror graphic novel is absolutely beautiful—the green-toned artwork is striking and sets a great atmosphere. That said, it wasn’t as creepy or disturbing as I expected. There’s a thread of envy and obsession around the dancer that felt underdeveloped; I wish the story had leaned into that more. Visually, though, it’s a standout. For those picking it up because it’s marketed as a “horror romance,” just know the romance is more of a faint echo than a central focus—no HEA or HFN here. It’s more about mood and longing than love, and it lingers in that space well.

[Juushika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminiscent of Carroll in pacing and tone, with a moody blue and green color palette and a sinuous style, exploring the want to be with/want to be like of queer desire and the performance of beauty. Lovely! Also turned me on to Silver Sprocket, which publishes a number of short graphic novels with similar queer + (body) horror vibes.

[Syd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, sweet and to the point!
I finished it in like 5 minutes tops, so i do wish it was a little longer.
However it is genuinely a beautiful piece of art and i'm excited to see what else this author has in store!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

this drew me in with its absolutely gorgeous and haunting cover - the art inside is just as beautiful. I wish this was longer, but it reads like a perfect little horror story with just enough to make it feel complete.