ComiXology has announced Turtle Bread writer Kim-Joy and artist Alti Firmansyah will reteam on Quiet, an original young adult graphic novel exploring the themes of social anxiety, selective mutism, and bullying this fall. Featuring lettering by Sara Linsley (the Animal Crossing New Horizons manga), the book follows Mary, a lonely student with selective mutism, who is given a robot to help support her.
At first, Mary is “mortified. The last thing she wants is more attention. But Mary soon discovers the robot can do more than just help her cope, it can help her fight back. What starts as clever pranks on her bullies turns into a series of misadventures that spiral out of control. As the line between standing up for herself and becoming a bully starts to blur, Mary begins to ask a difficult question: in trying to take back control, has she become the very thing she feared?”
This marks the second graphic novel from Kim-Joy, who is primarily a baker and cookbook writer best known for competing on The Great British Bake Off (where she won on its 2022 New Year special). She says, “So much of my work has mental health themes. It’s something I care about deeply and return to again and again, because I think stories are one of the best ways we have of making people feel less alone – and I hope that anyone who reads it feels that. And maybe wants their very own robot!”
Alti adds, “From the moment I learned about the project I knew I wanted to work with Kim-Joy again. Bringing her cookies and cakes and other creations to the page is a treat. I really feel a connection to Mary and have always wanted a sidekick, so designing and bringing the robot ‘to life’ was not only fun, but a great way for me to get to experience what that might be like. Throughout the story I would allow my imagination to flourish and was able to express my emotions in Mary’s facial expressions and body language, as well as in the other characters.”
The book will be released on comiXology sometime this fall, and in print by Mad Cave Studios in Summer 2027. In the meantime, Kim-Joy will attend a signing at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, July 25, and you can check out a preview page below.
Stay tuned to The Beat for more news from SDCC ’26.
