We’ve all grappled with our place in the world. Who are we? What do we want to do with our lives? What mark do we want to leave on the world, whatever that means? Will we find companionship in an often nebulous, cruel existence?

Those feelings are universal, across cultures and certainly across age groups. But no age group—at least in my experience—is so entrenched in that existential wandering and wondering than those folks in their mid-20s. And that seems to be something that comic creators Dave Baker and Nicole Goux are keenly aware of, as seen in their new graphic novel Punk’n Heads, on sale now from Top Shelf Productions. In Punk’n Heads, we meet  Hanna Lipsky, who has just dropped out of art school. Thrown together by circumstance with her high school crush, Hannah must navigate love, life, and what she wants in life.

I spoke with Dave Baker and Nicole Goux about the idea behind Punk’n Heads, the genesis of the story, the inspiration for the tale, and life advice they would give their characters.

 

 

FreakSugar: Before we get into the graphic novel itself, what can you tell us about how you came to collaborate together on this book?

Dave Baker: Nicole and I have been working together for quite some time. This book Punk’n Heads, which is a coming of age romance comic about a bunch of shitty punk kids who live in a flop house together and play in a horror punk band, started because Nicole had the idea for the name. We both laughed at it and were like “that’s too good. We have to figure out what the book is that goes with that title.”

Nic and I are both very involved in the zine, DIY, and comics scene here in California. And so, I think it just became obvious to us that we should make a book that was about the experience of being young, an artist, and trying to navigate the game between a young adult and whatever comes after… but y’know with more pumpkin masks.

Nicole Goux: Dave and I have a sort of standing collaboration. Even while we’re currently working on a book, we’re always looking out for the next great idea. When the idea for Punk’n Heads popped up we knew this was the one.

FS: For folks considering picking up the comic, what can you tell us about the conceit of Punk’n Heads?

DB: We follow Hanna Lipsky, a recent art school dropout, who moves into a flophouse with her high school crush, who’s now playing in a horror punk band. One thing leads to another and the pair start making art together and developing feelings for one another. The comic is basically a romance comic about attempting to grow up and fall in love. And struggling at both of them.

Also: there’s lots of funny stuff, I swear. Whenever I pitch it sounds like it’s not funny. But there’re jokes, I promise.

NG: While the book is exploring the relationships between our main characters, Dave and I tried to also make it an exploration of self. For Hannah in particular it’s about following a path you didn’t plan on taking, and what it means to leave the old road behind.

FS: What can you tell us about Hannah, Jerry, and the other characters we meet in the comic?

DB: I think one of the things Nicole and I really tried to do with this project was to create a sense of what it feels like to be a part of a scene. To have friends and enemies and a collective vision of what the future could hold for you. And to strive to reach that, but, honestly, probably fail. Hannah and Jerry are the center of the book emotionally, but there’s a large cast of characters, as well. From the other members of the band to the various people involved in local venues and the random frenemies that you just accrue over the course of being a part of any community. That texture and weirdness is something we really tried to capture.

NG: Our two sort-of leads, Hanna and Jerry, are sort of polar opposites, but truly both just different kinds of mess. Hannah has gone her whole life knowing what she wants and a shift in events is making her re-evaluate everything she thought she knew about what she wanted. Jerry has just sort of drifted and let life come to him, mess and all. Hannah’s re-entry into his life calls into question that path. And together? Well, let the drama ensue.

 

 

FS: I’ve never played in a band, but I have helped friends set up for a few punk shows. The vibe of the book has a gritty authenticity in that way. Do you have a favorite punk show you’ve attended? Have any of those experiences popped up in the book?

DB: Oh, man. I remember so many fun shows. But the ones that I feel have changed my life are always the weird, intimate ones. I was once at a show in a dude’s backyard. And like 15 people were there. I loved every second of it. Or last time I was in San Francisco I saw a show of a punk band called… I think they were called Chasm? I’m blanking. But, it was at the Silver Sprocket store. That was great. Yeah, there’s a raw potential to those gritty “we’re doing a thing just to do the thing” small-scale shows that definitely informed the book. And zinefests. I’ve tabled at a lot of zinefests over the years and I’ve always found it such a great and restorative experience to see people making art. And that’s also something that we wanted to capture in the book. In fact, there’s multiple zine shows in the book, now that I think about it.

NG: I’ve been to a bunch of friends’ small club shows. I think it’s less about one standing out and more about the vibe of “no one will do this for us, so we’ll do it ourselves.” It’s about that DIY spirit and making it happen (even if you’re not very good).

FS: You talk about how this graphic novel is a love letter to anyone whose aspirations have taken windy roads: some successful, some falling short. This is something I can relate to a lot and I imagine many other readers will, too. How much of your own experiences with career goals and what you consider success to be do you pour into the comic?

DB: I think in some ways, that’s just being a person. Life isn’t a straight line. Things move up and then down and then backwards. But I think it’s important to know that, come to terms with that, and then attempt to push things in the direction you want them to go. The more I’ve made art the more I’ve realized that that push and pull is making art. Like the act of sitting down and moving your hand across a page is important, but that’s the easy part. The real artistic endeavor is how you manage the other things. (This is both exceedingly depressing and kind of uplifting, to me.)

NG: Art, and life, are rarely a straight path. There is probably something to say about pointing to the stands and calling your shot and just not accepting no for an answer. But I think you’d miss all the beautiful twists and turns of unexpected experiences and creative outlets if you do that. I had no idea when I graduated college that I would end up as a cartoonist, but here I am. If I hadn’t followed an unforeseen turn, I would have a completely different life. This book is about not denying the creative passion that’s in front of you, even if it leads you in a completely different direction.

FS: Following up on that, if you could Hannah or anyone in the cast a piece of advice, what would it be?

DB: I think I’d probably tell her: “The things you think are your biggest failures now are going to be your largest lessons in a few years.”

NG: “It’s okay to let a dream die, in the creation of a new one.”

FS: If you had a final pitch for Punk’n Heads, what would it be?

DB: If you like things like Master of None, Francis Ha, or the Decline of Western Civilization, this might be the book for you.

NG: For anyone who has felt lost on a journey of creativity, self, or just like’s punk bands. This one’s for you.

Punk’n Heads is on sale now from Top Shelf Productions.

From the official press release for the book:

Being young is supposed to feel like a perpetual dumpster fire of debilitating heartbreak, terrible decision making, and non-stop identity crises… right? Enter stage left PUNK’N HEADS, the latest punk rock graphic novel collaboration from critically acclaimed, Eisner-nominated creators Dave Baker (Mary Tyler MooreHawk) and Nicole Goux (This Place Kills Me). The iconic, Los Angeles-based creative duo—who have previously joined forces for works such as Fuck Off Squad, Forest Hills Bootleg Society, Everyone is Tulip, and many more—get the band back together for this raucous and revealing new graphic novel about a campy horror-punk band that plays together, lives together… and unfortunately two of them are sleeping together. The DIY love letter to youthful messiness about making music, making mistakes, facing your past, and choosing your future will debut with an eardrum-splitting bang this April from Top Shelf Productions.

“Punk’n Heads is a book for all the broken hearted losers out there,” said writer Dave Baker. “The kids who wanted to accomplish great things and then ended up playing shitty back-room punk shows. If you’ve ever broken up with someone in the back of a van, right before six idiots in Doc Martens are about to pile in, this is the book for you.”

“For anyone whose journey hasn’t been a straight path, Punk’n Heads might just bring you a little solace,” said artist Nicole Goux. “Join Hannah, Jerry, Morgan, and Birdie in their quest to make something cool, make it big, or maybe just be a little less sad.”

In PUNK’N HEADS, Hannah Lipsky isn’t sure what’s happening. She dreamed of becoming a fine art painter, but after breaking up with her girlfriend, she’s suddenly dropped out of art school, moved into a flophouse, and gotten roped into singing in a campy horror-punk band. With costumes. To make things even more complicated, she might be hooking up with her housemate/bandmate/high school crush, Jerry. Whatever, I’m sure it’s fine… Now put on your punk’n mask and let’s rock!

“Hannah’s relationship is a failure, and so apparently is her budding art career,” said Goux. “When she moves into a house with her past ‘what if?’ Jerry and his group of ragtag friends/bandmates, her life takes an unexpected direction. Will she follow the path or cling to the past?”

“Punk’n Heads is a coming of age graphic novel about playing in bands, living in a flop house, and kissing the wrong people,” said Baker. “It’s also about how everyone should be wearing pumpkin masks in 2026.”

PUNK’N HEADS will stage-dive its way into comic shops (and hearts) everywhere on April 7, 2026. For more information, follow Dave Baker on X and Instagram and Nicole Goux on Bluesky and Instagram.