Demigoddess

An in progress graphic novel Written & Illustrated by Normandie Luscher

Pitch

Demigoddess is a YA Graphic Novel that follows a naive but spunky heroine on her journey of loss, trauma, processing, and ultimately healing and recovery after experiencing sexual assault. The setting jumps between the real world in Georgetown, D.C., visual dream metaphors and fantasy worlds inspired by Greek mythology locations and characters.

  • Demigoddess is a Young Adult graphic novel that follows a heroine on her journey of trauma and recovery. Demigoddess does navigate some mature themes, addressing sexual assault, but it’s handled as delicately as possible and does not contain graphic images. The story should serve as a way for readers to resonate with difficult circumstances or understand a heavy topic in an approachable way. It has light swearing and a few cheeky jokes. The main characters are young college students trying to figure out themselves and the world around them with elements of fantasy, mythology and visual metaphors.

  • Demigoddess is the coming of age story and epic journey of a young college student, Demi, a naive girl who is thrown into navigating the difficult dynamic of toxic relationships, including abuse, manipulation and coercion, when she comes to realize that her “perfect” ex boyfriend had sexually assaulted her. In her grief and confusion she unknowingly calls on the Muses from Greek mythology by throwing a penny into the fountain at the Library of Congress and saying a somewhat sarcastic prayer. Unbeknownst to Demi, her invocation triggers an application to the Muses who decide to become her guides. 

    Demi starts a journey of recovery and self-discovery, accomplishing tasks and overcoming obstacles led by each one of the 9 Muses, which eventually leads her to the Underworld. She starts with the intention to drink from the River Lethe, a mythical river that erases memories, although Demi doesn’t initially understand that she would lose all of her memories, not just the bad ones. Through her journey with the Muses and her two trusty bffs, Kani and ‘Precious’ Cam, Demi is led to meet the mother of the Muses and Mnemosyne, the Goddess of Memory. 

    Upon reflection, Demi and Mneomsyne come to the conclusion that in spite of her pain and undeserved trauma, Demi realizes that she doesn’t want to erase her memories and recognizes that she is a survivor who is becoming a stronger person and may be of help to others who experience assault and betrayal. She just might become a goddess herself one day.

  • Readers of Lore Olympus and Persephone will appreciate the unique interpretation and influences of Greek mythology interspersed through the real world experience of a young college student. Readers of Persepolis and the Scott Pilgrim series will appreciate the interweaving of grappling with difficult situations while counter balancing with moments of comical relief. Readers of the Paper Girls series will resonate with the spunky characters and mixing of real world and fantasy elements.

First 10 Pages

Story Outline & Summary

Prologue

Clio narrates a brief prologue of how the muses came to be. The prologue explains that a goddess was seduced by another god (Mnemosyne and Zeus). The goddess gives birth to 9 daughters and is then abandoned by the handsome god who impregnated her. Despite her heartache, she was determined to raise her daughters to be powerful and wise women. Her daughters grew to become Muses of the universe, goddesses who were called upon to lead and guide mortals on their perilous journeys.

Intro: Invocation

We meet Demi, a college student in the D.C. area, reflecting on the memories of her recent relationship and break up with her newly exed boyfriend, Jack. She is caught between remembering rose-colored moments and also the pain of separation, of breaking up and something else that she can’t quite put her anger on. She’s also stuck with a constant reminder of him in the form of a tattoo on her hand as a symbol of the relationship: a skull with a bow.
Demi’s universe jumps in and out of reality, memory and fantasy. During the Intro section, Demi is introduced to the Muses from Greek Mythology via a mural at the Library of Congress by her bff Kani. Demi makes a wish in the fountain outside of the Library wishing that they would help her solve her problems and become more like them.

Interlude: Goddess Applications

In the Muse’s universe, the muses review potential cases of people to take on to men- tor and help through personal hardships. They come across a folder with the name ‘Demi’ and read her story and her invocation from the fountain wish. Clio decides to take the case on and requests to be Demi’s main muse mentor. Melpomene, the goddess of tragedy expresses her dislike of always helping people to have a happy ending. She hopes to instigate mischief instead.

Section 1: Truth

In the first section Demi continues to reflect on her relationship with Jack and questions if it was his fault or her fault that things ended so badly. Her thoughts are abruptly interrupted by a goddess falling from the sky and crashing into her bedroom. Clio, the muse goddess of truth, throws a truth bomb that transforms Demi’s bedroom and her perspective. Demi finds a charm in her jewelry box shaped like a bomb with the word ‘truth’ inscribed on it.

Section 2: Tragedy

Demi’s demeanor continues to plummet into deep sadness and confusion. As Demi tries to cope she encounters the second muse goddess, Melpomene, or Mel, the goddess of tragedy. Mel takes Demi to a mountain top and encourages her to express her fury and let out her anger while Mel throws lightning bolts around.

Mel explains to Demi that each muse has a charm for Demi after a visitation. Once she collects each of the 9 charms, she may unlock the gate to the Underworld where the River Lethe is located. There she can drink from the river and dispel of her bad memories. Demi receives a charm shaped like a lightening bolt.

Section 3: Freedom

Demi attends an intimate concert at the “Midnight 30” club. The musician turns out to be Euterpe, the muse goddess of music, who gives a fantastical performance that seemingly transports the audience to another dimension. Following the concert Euterpe tells Demi a story of her leaving a bad relationship and how important it is to maintain personal freedom no matter the cost, even losing a lover in a toxic relationship. Demi receives a charm shaped like a guitar pick.


Section 4: I <3 Me
Demi encounters the muse goddess Chory, goddess of beauty, on the DC metro. Chory talks about how our bodies change and uctuate and sometimes people treat us badly, but our value never changes no matter what we look like or what other people try to make us feel. Demi finds a flower charm in her jewelry box.

Section 5: LOL

Demi still feels moments of trauma and experiences painful memories of Jack. During an ‘emotional aftershock’ Demi hears a knock at her door. She is greeted by the muse goddess, Tally, goddess of comedy. Demi receives a charm that says ‘LOL’.

Section 6: Dolla Billz Baby

Demi realizes that in pursuing a stronger version of herself she wants to become financially literate. Poly, a polished and immaculate woman and the muse goddess of finances, appears in Demi’s room and they discuss Demi’s goals. Demi a charm that looks like a dollar sign.

Section 7: Balance

After some setbacks, Calli, the goddess of knowledge, knocks on Demi’s door and invites her to go hiking. They appear on a mountain and consider the purpose of good and bad things that happen in our lives. At the top of the mountain they talk about how life is balanced in extremity. Calli gives Demi a charm that looks like a taeguk.

Section 8: Love
Demi starts to wonder if she does want to go to the Underworld after all. She doesn’t have a perfect life, and her memories of Jack still sting periodically, but not as much as they used to. Era, the muse goddess of love, appears and talks with Demi. They discuss ‘Why do we crave so much to be loved?’
Demi has another dream about Jack. This time he is cowering in a corner, small and afraid. Demi recognizes that he has been hurt by unrealistic expectations that have crippled him. She also realizes that it was never her job to heal his wounds.
Demi finds a heart charm in her jewelry box.

Section 9: Baggage

Demi and her best friends, Kani and Cam, go to a local bar in Georgetown to celebrate the end of the semester. As they’re joking around, Demi hears a familiar voice and turns around to see Jack playing pool with some friends. Demi runs out of the bar down an alley and leaves Kani and Cam behind.

Demi loses steam and stops running in the middle of a dark and empty road. The goddess of direction, Rani, appears. Demi is fed up and doesn’t want to hear any advice, so Rani shortly tells her that she can choose to move forward carrying her emotional baggage or she can move forward letting go of it. Demi tells her she wants to go to the Underworld, NOW and demands her last charm. Rani gives Demi a charm in the shape of luggage. Rani concedes and an elevator appears in the middle of the road and Demi steps in.

Interlude: So...Yeah

Rani pings the muses through a device on her wrist that Demi insisted on going to the Underworld...so she let her?

Section 10: The Underworld

Demi presses the elevator button for the Underworld. The door opens up to a waiting room with a guy watching videos on his phone at the reception desk, his name tag says ‘Nyt’ (or Adam Rippon?). Demi asks if she needs to show her bracelet to anyone to get through. The guy at the desk tells her that’s not a thing and that she can do whatever she wants. Demi looks at a map on the wall and takes a portable version with her as she walks towards a door that leads to the river Styx.

Demi finds a man dressed like a glam rock star guarding a small boat by a body of water. He tells Demi that his name is Charon, but she can call him Ron. He is the ferryman for the river Styx and tells Demi she can take a ride to the river Lethe with the payment of a coin.

After a treacherous journey Demi makes it to the cave of Hypnos, Charon and Nyt’s triplet brother. Demi starts to make her way to the river Lethe that will make her forget her bad memories if she drinks it, but she starts feeling lethargic. Demi wakes up to Clio standing over her in hysterics. Clio explains that she never intended to tell Demi about the river or about accessing the Underworld at all until Mel ruined things. She tells Demi that if she drank from the Lethe that she would not only lose her bad memories but all of her memory and possibly she could even die, never able to return to her mortal world. Demi is shaken by this news and regrets coming. Clio tells Demi that she will take her to Mnemosyne, the mother of the muses and the goddess of Memory instead.

Chapter 11: Memory

Demi talks with Mnemosyne in her garden temple about her experiences and who she has become since beginning her journey. Demi describes how she loved Jack then she hated Jack. Demi expresses doubt in trusting others and herself.

Mnemosyne and Demi have a conversation in which Mnemosyne gives Demi sage advice. Demi realizes that in spite of her terrible experiences she is a survivor and still has a bright future and opportunity for happiness and has more depth and wisdom because of her journey. Mnemosyne shows Demi the pool of omniscience and tells her that those who drink from it become all knowing. Demi is not sure that she is ready for that. Mnemosyne offers that it also has healing qualities and may cure certain blemishes. Demi dips her hand in the pool and pulls it out revealing that the tattoo on her hand has washed off completely.

Interlude: Ambrosia and Honey
Mnemosyne resolves that it’s time for Demi to go back to her own world for now. As they walk to the exit of the garden Demi notices the hanging vines and asks what makes them smell so sweet. Mnemosyne answers that it has honeysuckle and ambrosia bushes that make her garden smell fragrant and sweet, but it’s best to not try any today. Mnemosyne shows her a door that will take her home. They say their goodbyes and walk through.

Epilogue
Demi reappears on the street outside of her apartment just as the sun is coming up. Demi checks her phone and sees many missed texts and calls from Cam and Kani. As Demi walks up to her front yard she sees Kani and Cam are slumped over asleep on Demi’s doorstep. Demi wakes them up and they are groggy but still worried about Demi’s disappearance. Kani embraces Demi and tells her to never run away like that again. Demi sits down in between them on the steps and reassures them that she just ended up on an unexpected adventure.

 

Covers for Issue 2 and 3

Full color page tests; printed on a Risograph machine

Demi gets lost in her feelings remembering her ex, Jack

Clio throws a truth bomb

Demi’s Room Transforms into a forest

Jack; breaking and entering

Visual Process

I create my drawings with pen and ink directly onto bristol paper. Once the images are scanned I will print them using a risograph printing machine in blue, yellow and pink.

Pages currently in black and white will be printed in blue or full color in the future.