Therefore Repent!: A Post-Rapture Graphic Novel.

Tami Oliphant is a Ph.D. candidate in Library and Information Studies at the University of Western Ontario.

“What if the religious right … are actually right?” is the question posed by the authors of the graphic novel, Therefore Repent! When 144,000 Christians suddenly and mysteriously float up to the heavens to meet their maker in an event known as the Rapture, the remaining sinners have to navigate their way through a post-Rapture world—a world in which an angelic army occasionally takes vengeance against the “immoral majority,” where dogs can talk, and where magic works if one is willing to live with the consequences.

The novel centres on the relationship between the outsider couple Raven and Mummy. As Raven and Mummy arrive in Toronto, where they squat in a vacant, roomy apartment courtesy of a couple who were beamed up as part of the Rapture, they realize that the fallout from the Rapture may have irreparably changed things for them. Mummy nearly floated up to the heavens as one of the chosen while his love, Raven, appears damned for her penchant for doing magic, and also because she is Jewish.

The consequences of the Rapture not only affect everyday life, but also create friction in Raven and Mummy’s relationship. Raven notices that her magic is getting stronger but she is unable to control it. She decides to ignore Mummy’s protestations as she tracks down a powerful woman she thinks can help her. For his part, Mummy feels like a little kid who’s being supervised by Raven. He meets another woman he is attracted to, and he decides to explore his own spirituality.

The drawings in this graphic novel are thick, dark, and intensely personal. The many moral shades of grey in Therefore Repent! are reflected in the drawings. The artists provide close-ups of faces—intimate and detailed glimpses that reveal the agonies, frailties, and transcendent moments that make us human.

The premise of Therefore Repent! is fresh and imaginative. The authors deftly tackle the ongoing struggle for the hearts and minds and souls between old and new religions. The surprise ending makes for a satisfying read. This book is recommended for adults.