Howl

by Alisa Kwitney

Science fiction meets family memoir in 1950s Greenwich Village, home of artists, musicians, writers—and the extraterrestrial spores that are secretly taking them over!

Marry a science fiction writer, become science fiction! That’s the law of Greenwich Village in the late 1950s, home of poets, artists, musicians, writers, their put-upon partners—and the extraterrestrial spores that are secretly taking them over! Novelist/comics writer Alisa Kwitney (The Sandman Presents) mixes science fiction with period drama, featuring stunning art by Mauricet (Star Wars Adventures).

Genres: Comics

128 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 2025

About the author

I'm the author of YA, graphic novels and novels for adults who still feel young, at least most of the time. Recent works include GILT, a graphic novel about time-traveling women of a certain age; Cadaver & Queen, a YA Feminist Frankenstein meets Grey's Anatomy tale, and Mystik U from DC Comics, which features Zatanna and other magical characters in their first year at college. I also co-host a Sandman podcast, The Endless, with Lani Diane Rich.

My first novel, Till the Fat Lady Sings, is also about college and romance and eating disorders. (It was my thesis at Columbia University's MFA Program, where I felt like an outlier for liking comic books and romance as much as literature.) I was an editor at Vertigo, the mature/dark fantasy branch of DC Comics, before going freelance. (I've also written two hormonal werewolf books as Alisa Sheckley.)

I live near the Vanderbilt Estate in Hyde Park, NY, with two dogs and a frightening number of books.

aka Alisa Sheckley

Reviews

[Steve Ellerhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my new favorite graphic novel! Alisa Kwitney and Mauricet are a fantastic pairing in telling this story of a young woman in 1950s Greenwich Village who falls for a science fiction writer...in the midst of a quickly alarming alien invasion (...there's a fungus among us...). The art, the humor, the wit, and depth of narrative all make for a great read. HOWL is especially fascinating in that Kwitney re-imagines her parents' real-life marriage, an act of personal mythmaking that resonates with meaning. As the actual daughter of two amazing personalities -- Ziva Kwitney and Robert Sheckley -- she brings forth a work inspired by her parents with a grace and verve that few artists achieve under such conditions. Her essays about each of her parents at the end of the book are wonderful public meditations that add a whole other layer to the book. I hope a second series comes along because I would love to find out what happens next to Ziva and Bert Jeckley.

[RSC_Collecting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting start. A little romance drama that I love. But there's a science fiction undertone that, I think, will play a bigger part in the next issues. It's just hinted at for now and it has my curiosity. I'm not too sure how I feel about it all yet. There was a lot to take in for the first issue. Introducing a lot of character and context. Tons of information thrown at you. It was a little overwhelming, but it wasn't confusing. I'll probably grab the second issue and see how I feel.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*