By Dustin Cabeal

Seriously, like most people my age I like 10 Things I Hate About You. Okay, maybe not most guys since I've yet to meet another dude that didn't just watch the movie because of a woman he was dating, but I legit like the film. I don't, however, care for a movie writer working on comic books. While this gave me tingles of nostalgia for movie reasons, it's not exciting my comic buttons just yet. I'll wait until I read it, though.

Press Release

BOOM! Studios is proud to announce MISFIT CITY, an all-new monthly comic book series from screenwriter Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith (”Legally Blonde,” “10 Things I Hate About You”) and Kurt Lustgarten, along with artist Naomi Franquiz, debuting in May 2017 from the groundbreaking BOOM! Box imprint.

Nothing’s happened in Wilder’s hometown since they filmed that cult kids’ adventure movie there in the ’80s…but that’s ancient history. Until one day, she and her friends come upon a centuries-old treasure map drawn by the infamous pirate Black Mary…and they find themselves on a real-life adventure in the town they dreamed of escaping.

"Much like our heroines, I grew up in a small town in the Pacific Northwest, yearning to have a life-changing experience,” says Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith.

“Everyone wishes their town harbored a deep dark secret, and for the girls of Cannon Cove, it does,” adds co-creator Kurt Lustgarten, who also spoke about the particular tone of the book. “We wanted to evoke the feel of every great 1980s kids classic adventure movie with a riot grrrl twist."

“We’re telling a treasure hunting story through a unique female lens,” says Kiwi Smith.  "Girls need their version of The Goonies—and with Misfit City, we’re giving it to them."

"Other than the guaranteed shenanigans I'm excited to draw in Misfit City, I mostly look forward to drawing a diverse and body-positive cast of characters that I hope young readers can really see themselves in. Plus, all faces of the cutest dog ever, Pippin!" remarks Franquiz. "Out of our main characters, I relate to Wilder most. I'm from a small-town city with a population that fluctuates every football season, so the urge to escape and do more is strong. I love her ambition and drive, and I think the internal conflict she's setting herself up for is something I see reflected in many people (including myself)."

Misfit City #1 will feature a main cover by Franquiz, along with a variant cover by Ester Zejn and a treasure map variant by Paulina Ganucheau (Zodiac Starforce, Another Castle).

This series is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ critically acclaimed BOOM! Box imprint, home to popular original series such as Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Brooke A. Allen, and Noelle Stevenson; Giant Days by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Max Sarin; The Backstagers by James Tynion IV and Rian Sygh; SLAM! by Pamela Ribon and Veronica Fish; and Goldie Vance by Hope Larson and Brittney Williams.

“Kiwi’s work has been a huge creative influence on me, and a massive influence on BOOM! Box,” says Shannon Watters, Editor, BOOM! Studios. “We’re so pleased to be shepherding this awesome team’s first comic book project!”