Synopses & Reviews
Liz Baillie crafts a Degrassi-style teenage soap opera about queer punks in New York City! Our story resumes with Joey in a coma after an incident of queer bashing and Kate and Desi's relationship on the rocks. Desi's really religious, and Kate's really not, and they struggle to find a middle ground. The boys get caught smoking and uh, other things in the boys room, Kate getting in awkward situations with a hate crime perpetrator at her internship job, and much much more! Will queer teenage romance succeed? Will our heroes prevail over high school principals, skinheads, and a homophobic society?
Review
"My Brain Hurts is a lingering snapshot of a pivotal period in her character's lives. She ends their stories not with definitive answers, but with a reasonable hope that they will move on and find better lives for themselves. In fact, she adds a 'where are they now' epilogue that brings a greater sense of closure (and relief) to the saga. The second bonus feature of the book is an extras section with original character sketches, script pages, and a couple pages worth of false starts that were abandoned." —Midnight Fiction.
Review
"This two book series is about some gay New York punks that are staying true to themselves. They party, go to shows, drink, create mischief and mayhem, and get into trouble. Its an amazing story that has a heart felt satisfaction. It's a story for the queers, I'ts a story for the punks, It's a story for the outcast, and its a story that every one should cherish. Don't get me wrong, this book is not just about being gay. I believe it has a deeper meaning to it. I think it says 'Life has it's ups and downs but you got to make you own path to the point ware you're happy.'" —Rebellion Pit
Review
"Im glad I took a chance with My Brain Hurts. Despite this is volume two of the story, I found I was able to slip in easily and readily find my way. Even though I was unclear from time to time of the particulars of some relationships, the storytelling was clear enough to pull me through and catch me up to speed. While the art was not polished, it was serviceable. There is an epilogue of sorts in the back of the book, and it is there that Baillie shows that she has some real artistic chops. If she were to apply that kind of time and effort to the rest of the comic, this would be a real gem! As it stands, this comic is a testament to the experience of being young and gay in a world that is not quite ready for you. In addition, despite the fact that the story has ended, and this one volume is a satisfying reading experience, I have gone ahead and ordered the first volume so I can have the complete story. This is a very good comic that tells a story that is, unfortunately, probably all too common and will likely look very familiar to some readers." —Stumptown Trade Review
About the Author
Liz Baillie is a cartoonist, illustrator, and the author of the comic series Freewheel. Her work has been included in several anthologies, including The Fall of Autumn, MAULED!, and Other Magazine. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.