Title: Be Not AfraidAuthor: Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Lisandro Estherren
First Published: July 7, 2026
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Pages: 160
Genre: Apocalyptic, Horror, Supernatural
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Rating:
Synopsis:
What if your greatest blessing became a curse you couldn’t escape?
From acclaimed horror writer Jude Ellison S. Doyle and artist Lisandro Estherren comes a Southern Gothic descent into religious dread, generational shame, and cosmic terror.
Cora Reims once embraced a vision of pure light—an angelic messenger who left behind a terrible miracle: her son, Jordy. Despite his angelic countenance, it soon becomes apparent that Jordy is a plague upon the Earth, spreading death and cruelty wherever he goes. After years of torment and generational shame for her transgression, Cora receives a divine revelation on the eve of Jordy’s eighteenth birthday: God has finally heard her pleas and Heaven demands the destruction of her devastatingly powerful child.
As plagues descend on the town of Enoch and the townspeople's faith fractures under fear, Cora must now confront her past, her purpose, and the divine horror she once mistook for grace with the guidance of a mysterious, new stranger.
Collects Be Not Afraid #1–6.
Get the Book: AmazonReview
Be Not Afraid is a beautifully illustrated gothic that explores themes of bodily autonomy, religious guilt, divine cruelty, and the burden of salvation. The story follows a woman named Cora and her miraculous(ly creepy) son Jordy, a Nephilim. There’s something not right about Jordy, who grows into a powerful and cruel young man.
This graphic novel is a reimagining of The Book of Enoch. Story wise it can be difficult to follow without some knowledge of it’s source material. On my initial read I found the story’s progression confusing, and it prompted me to do a little more research. I was able to appreciate the text more after a re-read for the way that the graphic novel examines theology, morality, and righteousness. Lisandro Estherren’s art is a real draw for this comic, it’s grim and atmospheric and his depictions of angels are downright terrifying.
I enjoyed this one and can appreciate that the book challenged my understanding of faith, and it’s piqued my interest in reading further.
Quote
“I didn’t get the abortion. My mother begged me to, but I didn’t. Because of God. How could it be wrong to kill my child then, and right to kill him now?”
Content Warnings
View Spoiler »About the Author
About Jude Ellison S. Doyle
Jude Ellison S. Doyle is an author, journalist, and comic book writer living in upstate New York.
Under his former pen name “Sady Doyle,” Jude founded the feminist blog Tiger Beatdown in 2008. He is the author of “Trainwreck: The Women We Love to Hate, Mock, and Fear… and Why” (Melville House 2016), which has been called “smart, funny and fearless” (Boston Globe), “compelling” and “persuasive” (New York Times Book Review). The Atlantic predicted that “Trainwreck will very likely join the feminist canon.” Doyle’s second book, “Dead Blondes and Bad Mothers: Monstrosity, Patriarchy and the Fear of Female Power” (Melville House, 2019) was named a Best Non-Fiction Book of 2019 by Kirkus Reviews and was shortlisted for Starburst Magazine’s Brave New Words award. His first non-fiction book under his real name, “DILF: Did I Leave Feminism,” will be published by Melville House in the fall of 2025.
In 2021, Jude published “Maw,” a limited-series horror comic with artist A.L. Kaplan, for Boom! Studios. His follow-up, “The Neighbors” with artist Letizia Cadonici, was published in 2023, and was nominated for a 2024 GLAAD award for “Outstanding Comic.” Both are now available in collected edition, and Jude’s third series, “Be Not Afraid” with artist Lisandro Estherren, is forthcoming from Boom! Studios.
About Lisandro Estherren
Lisandro Estherren is a comic artist based in Argentina. His work includes graphic novels, series, and illustration for publishers and magazines such as Editorial Pictus (Argentina), Aurea Editoriale (Italy) Diábolo (Spain) and Mojito (Uruguay). In the US, he has produced series for Red5 Comics (Spook) and BOOM! Studios (The Last Contract). He is currently working on REDNECK for Skybound Comics.
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