*Early access copy provided by NetGalley*
High school cheerleaders have long held a bad reputation in Western media, home to cliques of bullies who would torment underdog heroes, or rebellious young socialites eager to flex the latest big spend on their parents' MasterCard.
Yet, from the offset Crystal Fraiser's short and sweet high school romance makes an effort to dismantle this stereotype, presenting a (seemingly) supportive and diverse team at the heart of Cheer Up! Rather than centre her story around the typical highs and lows of teen melodrama, Fraiser explores a smaller story, paved by nuanced micro-aggressions and hidden biases; allowing readers reflect on their own potential to harm others, even when they might think they have the best intentions in mind.
Anti-social punk Annie immediately breaks the mould of the classic cheerleader archetype, and while she is initially unenthused about joining the team to gloss up her college applications, this is soon defused when Annie comes to understand her hesitations are only the result of her own biased assumptions. Annie isn't tall, thin, or a typical "girly girl", yet she still loves gymnastics, and she fits right in amongst Cheer Up!'s diverse team of teens.
Duel protagonist Bebe is almost Annie's on-paper opposite. She "looks the part", has a clique of friends following her, and the attention of one of the school's popular (not-so nice) guys. However, while Annie bubbles with confidence and self-determination, cheer captain Bebe is plagued by the pressure she feels to blend in with the crowd. Bebe's transness is not immediately made apparent, though as soon as it is, Fraiser's powerful dialogue combined with some highly emotive panels illustrated by Val Wise make for a beautifully realised story of self-confidence and the strength to simply exist as you are, rather than for the sake of others.
The relationship between Annie and Bebe is tender and sweet, though at times rushed. While Cheer Up! makes for a great and complete story in its own right, I couldn't help but sometimes hope for more, particularly to explore the cheer team's interesting cast of supporting characters. In this respect Cheer Up! reads like an excellent pilot novel with the potential to offer much more. However, even if we are not to see anything else of Annie and Bebe in the future, as a stand-alone graphic novel, Cheer Up! is a vibrant, easy, and heartwarming read very-much worth picking up!
Cheer Up! is slated for physical release August 10th 2021.
Written by - Crystal Fraiser
Illustrated by - Val Wise
Lettering by - Oscar O. Jupiter
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