Maverick, the young adult imprint of Mad Cave Studios, levels up with Beat Every 1-Up, the heart-on-its-sleeve graphic novel from writer Lan Pitts and artist Joe Hunter. With letters by Frank Cvetkovic, this 184-page beat-em-up rom-com invites readers to press start on a riotously queer adventure about self-discovery, friendship, and most of all, first love.
Listen up! This is the fisticuff-filled tale of Princess Helia of Terrager! A natural-born fighter since childhood, Helia must head out into the wider world when her soon-to-be-husband is groom-napped on their wedding day by the atrocious ape and would-be world conqueror, Gogo. But what does a sheltered princess know of the other realms? Turns out, not a whole lot.
Luckily, Helia is joined by her (only) friend and bodyguard, the ice witch Sidra. Together, the pair will brave the deserts of Flaterra, the blizzards of Frosterra…uh, you get the idea…until they’ve rescued the wayward prince, thwarted Gogo, and punched every henchman they can find. And maybe, by the end of their journey, Helia and Sidra will realize their connection goes beyond mere friendship…
If you love Scott Pilgrim, Chef’s Kiss, or Everyday Hero Machine Boy, this one’s for you. Part She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, part Double Dragon, and 100 percent heart, Beat Every 1-Up mixes magical-girl aesthetics with video-game-style storytelling and a glitchy sense of humor for fans of arcade cabinets, fighting games, and queer rom-coms alike.
Beat Every 1-Up is available wherever books are sold on March 17, 2026, and in comic shops on March 18, 2026.
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Source: Graphic Policy
