Written by Iolanda Zanfardino
Illustrated by Elisa Romboli
Colored by Elisa Romboli and Iolanda Zanfardinio
Lettered by Iolanda Zanfardion
Editor Rose Seitz
You Never Heard Of Me asks the question “What if you could see another person's future? Is it your responsibility to fix their life?” That’s a lot of pressure on anyone but especially when you’re just a teenager.
Will’s life has been defined by his family’s generational gift, the ability to see the best and worst moments of someone's life just from touching them. His dying grandma, the current gift-holder, has driven the family apart with her high ideals of helping everyone using the gift. That is until she passes and the gift doesn’t go to her son but rather Will. Now he must decide whether to keep his head down or use his gifts.
Iolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli have crafted a story that takes a familiar premise, what does one do with great power, and adds a twist. I’m unsure if this was intentional but that twist feels similar to the idea of generational trauma.
The gift has been a curse on this family, even when well-intentioned. It caused Will’s mother to leave because of how it constantly turned their life upside down. A similar idea can be seen in movies like Everything Everywhere All At Once. The actions of each generation are done with good intentions but do not take into account the needs of the generation below them. Now Will is given that same power and the legacy of it. This gift has cursed his family much like generational trauma. Now it is Will’s turn to grapple with the trauma and see if he can break the curse.
Zanfardino takes the magical and makes it relatable. The idea of having foresight could have been a part of a crazy fantastical world but this world feels lived in. From flip phones to grunge style it is not a world too far removed from our own. Will feels like someone that I could have gone to high school with. An outsider, the new kid in town, with a sports star sister. Something that I was going through when I was that age. The family dynamic is something I hope to see expanded upon in this story. Will is akin to Peter Parker, although much cooler, with his loner nature and the idea of responsibility thrust upon his shoulders. But unlike Peter, he has a larger cast of family that he can rely on. But will he? Or will he take this journey alone? Regardless of what happens, I am here for the ride! This creative team has caught my eye and I can’t wait to see what happens next!
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