WICKER PARK — Bianca Kusnies grew up obsessed with John Hughes movies about sociopathic teenagers in Chicago. But the mostly white characters did not reflect Kunise and his friends, who he grew up with south of the city.
In high school, Kunise began imagining his own cast of queer black and colored punks and goths who existed adjacent to Hughes' world. While Molly Ringwald was in and out of trouble, Kunis imagined her characters doing their own thing just outside of the shot.
Now, those characters come to life in Xunise's debut graphic novel, “Punk Rock Karaoke,” released Tuesday.
“'Punk Rock Karaoke' is a John Hughes movie to me,” Kunis said. “I want readers to feel like they've been grabbed in the street by a group of punk kids and said, 'Hey, we're playing together today.'”
The 254-page young adult graphic novel tells the story of Ariel, a 19-year-old non-binary punk who plays in the garage band Baby Hairs with her two best friends. Caught in his year between high school graduation and his next career move, Ariel navigates developing friendships, potential romance, college applications, and the eternal hope that the band will ultimately succeed.
The book's setting was directly inspired by Xunise's own years of experience in Chicago's underground scene, the artist said. Ariel jumps over the fence for a date at Resurrection Cemetery. They meet up with friends outside Punks and Donuts (an homage to Chicago's legendary Punkin' His Donuts at the corner of Belmont His Avenue and Clark Street, which was demolished in 2015). And in the book's guitar-pounding finale, the characters gather uptown at the legendary Aragon Ballroom.
On Saturday's Independent Bookstore Day, Quimby's Bookstore, 1854 W. North Ave., will host a “Punk Rock Karaoke” book party featuring a conversation between Xunise and author Jessica Hopper. To celebrate, Quimby created a series of banners depicting Chicago punk kids as anthropomorphic rats and hung them in Quimby's front window.
For Xunise, who has been buying and selling zines at bookstores for more than a decade, having them displayed in the store's window felt like a full-circle moment.
“Doing something for the local community is what my heart is all about,” Schnise said. “And that's what this book is about.”
As soon as the proposal for Punk Rock Karaoke landed on editor Aneeka Kalia's desk, she knew she wanted to work on the book. After five publishers bid on the project at auction, Viking Books for Young Readers won the contract.
“It was clear from the beginning that it was a punk rock karaoke.” “It was a love letter to Chicago, and it had all the authenticity of an artist who has been deeply connected to Chicago for many years,” said Calia. “My colleagues and I both knew we wanted to publish this book.”
Although this is their first graphic novel, Xunise has been building a career in comics for over a decade. They started publishing comics depicting parts of their lives on her Tumblr.
“I wanted people to connect with me and think, 'I'm not this scary black woman,'” they said. “But after the murder of Trayvon Martin, I thought, 'I have to do something deeper than this.'”
In 2018, Kunis won the Ignatz Award, one of comics' highest honors, for his self-published minicomic, Say Her Name, about being black in America. In 2020, they became the first nonbinary Black cartoonist to be nationally syndicated for her contributions to the comic Six Chicks.
With “Punk Rock Karaoke,” Xunise wanted to tell a story about black, queer, and punk triumph.
“In the midst of the riots of 2020, I wanted to see joy,” they said. “this is, [young adult] Book. Let's see black people win. ”
Xunise's colorful cartoon style, with its panels of messy teenage bedrooms and crowded mosh pits, echoes homemade zines and punk show posters. From an early age, they were drawn to the Venn diagram of zines and punk music, and the do-it-yourself mentality that lies somewhere in between.
“The punk chord is that anyone can pick up a guitar and play music,” Kunis said. “That's what I love about the Chicago scene. Some of the best ones never explode. They challenge you further. These are my favorite comics and music.”
In addition to Saturday's Quimby's Bookstore event, Kunise has more Chicago celebrations planned. On Thursday, he will be speaking with cartoonist Sage Coffey at Women's and Children First Bookstore, 5233 N. Clark St. in Andersonville. And in May, Empty Bottle is planning a party that will include a panel discussion, live music, and, of course, karaoke.
“Punk Rock Karaoke” is now available for purchase online and at local bookstores.
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