When you’re a kid–and even sometimes as an adult–you just want to fit in and belong. You don’t want to run afoul of bullies and you want to be able to keep pace with your peers in whatever everyone is doing. Young Arnie is grappling with that tornado of longing and emotions in the upcoming original graphic novel Indoor Kid, on sale next Tuesday, October 28, from Oni Press. From creators Mat Heagerty (Martian Ghost Centaur, Unplugged and Unpopular, Lumberjackula) and Lisa DuBois-Thompson (Rugrats, Aggretsuko), Indoor Kid follows Arnie as he struggles with sports at every turn, with strikeouts and airballs being the norm, no matter how hard he tries. It doesn’t help that he’s plagued by the Brohemians, the bullies of Muscletown, where Arnie lives among high-tier athletes. With video games more his wheel house, how can Arnie keep pace?
Luckily for Arnie, he comes into possession of a magic medal that bestows him with superhuman sports ability, giving him a time to shine and the opportunity to get even with the Brohemians. Will the fame and glory he’s always wanted come at the expense of his friends? Indoor Kid will explore that and more, including accepting yourself for who you are, not what others expect you to be.
This books is charming and has a message that readers of all ages could benefit seeing. That’s why we’re thrilled to reveal an exclusive preview of pages from Indoor Kid, along with exclusive commentary of creators Mat Heagerty and Lisa DuBois-Thompson! Read the commentary below, then take a look at ebulliently fun pages from the book!
From the commentary:
“There’s a big weight to the power of the medal. Sure, it’s just sports super powers, but people who are extraordinary athletes get extraordinary amounts of money. And people with extraordinary amounts of money can really do some awful stuff. So Mort takes the decision of passing the medal on very seriously.”– Mat
“This sequence of pages was absolutely one of my favorite parts to illustrate in the book. I had so much fun illustrating Mort’s monologue and getting to take us to ancient Greece and then back to modern times again. Heather and James (our colorists) did such a good job making these pages feel extra special, so I just think this is such a fun part of the book.”– Lisa
And pages 48-54 of Indoor Kid:
INDOOR KID cover
INDOOR KID page 48
INDOOR KID page 49
INDOOR KID page 50
INDOOR KID page 51
INDOOR KID page 52
INDOOR KID page 53
INDOOR KID page 54
In Muscletown, if you’re not a jock, you’re a nobody. You’re an INDOOR KID. Oni Press, the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning publisher of groundbreaking comics and graphic novels since 1997, is proud to announce INDOOR KID – a new original graphic novel from Mat Heagerty (Martian Ghost Centaur, Unplugged and Unpopular, Lumberjackula) and Lisa DuBois-Thompson (Rugrats, Aggretsuko) arriving on shelves everywhere this October!
Air-ball Arnie couldn’t be worse at sports. As much as he wishes he could score three-pointers or hit home runs, the fact is that he’s way better at video games than he is on the court or the field. What’s worse is he lives in Muscletown, a city full of the best athletes and jocks, especially the Brohemians, the town’s star athletes AND the town’s biggest bullies. The Brohemians get to decide the winners from the losers, and they’ve decided Arnie is the biggest loser of them all. But all that changes when Arnie discovers a magical medal that gives him superhuman sports powers. Now he can slam dunk better than anyone, and he’s determined to put these super sports abilities to good use by putting the Brohemian bullies in their place. But when his newfound powers start to get him the popularity and admiration he’s always craved, will he use his powers for good or will he strike out and foul on his own friends?
“Indoor Kid is a story about self-acceptance and friendship,” said illustrator Lisa DuBois-Thompson. “I think the biggest message is embracing that our unique quirks are actually our biggest strengths, and that our best friends are the people who are going to love us because of who we are, and not in spite of who we are.”
“It’s a book about how you can love something,” said writer Mat Heagerty. “Like sports, and not be the best at that something, or even good at that something! And that’s perfectly fine! It’s also about the weight of not being able to live up to parents’ expectations and loudly rising above bullies!”
Knock it out of the park in the newest graphic novel from Mat Heagerty and Lisa DuBois-Thompson, in a sports-packed story about staying true to yourself, perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Victoria Jamieson. INDOOR KID is ready to take its place in the starting lineup on October 28th, 2025!