Depictions of drug addiction in pop culture tales have a mixed history. As noted by Frank Gogol, the writer and creator of the comic series of No Heroine, addicts are portrayed as saints who have hit hard times or the most vile of sinners in so many pop culture yarns. Gogol’s personal experience shows that there is no black and white when it comes to addiction, something that he wanted to stress in his comic and Kayla, the series’ main character.
In the first No Heroine miniseries, we meet a Kayla who has struggled with drug addiction, but hopes to make amends for her past by helping protect humans from monsters who would do them harm. Gogol knows that life is a series of choices–well-advised and questionable–and that our choices lead us both to pride and regret.
Gogol created a successful Kickstarter during the pandemic to bring the first No Heroine comic to life. And just last month, Gogol launched another crowdfunding campaign to continue Kayla’s story in No Heroine: Second Chances, which has already hit its funding goal.
Mr. Gogol spoke with us recently about the conceit of No Heroine, where we find our heroine Kayla in Second Chances, working with artist Criss Madd, and how this project in a personal one for him. And on that same note, we also discussed his and his wife’s recently launched initiative, the Gogol-Geeslin Futures Foundation, and why they chose the communities–comics, youth in non-traditional homes, and addiction recovery–that they wanted to serve.
From my interactions with Frank on social media, he is a man with a kind heart whose passion and talent pour out in his work, be it in comics or charity. I am certain that both Second Chances and his foundation will reflect that same passion and kindness.
FreakSugar: For folks who might have missed the first book, what can you tell us about No Heroine?
Frank Gogol: The high-level pitch is “Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Jessica Jones.” The series follows a recovering heroin addict, Kayla, as she seeks redemption for the awful things she’s done by hunting monsters.
FS: How would you describe Kayla? Was she a character that came to you whole-cloth, or has she evolved since you first met her?
FG: For a long time, I had this idea of Kayla in my head—this badass Buffy-type with a punk rock edge. That’s been there from the start. But figuring out her story and her flaws has been a process. Anyone who’s read anything I’ve written will see that I gravitate toward broken characters. Kayla’s probably the most flawed but also wants to improve the most, which—I think—makes her incredibly compelling. Without spoiling too much from the first series, a big step in her journey was realizing that wanting to be better isn’t the same as being better. It takes work, and the work is sometimes lonely and thankless. But getting up to do the work anyway is what defines who you are. I know where I’d ultimately like to leave Kayla at the end of her arc. That first series and this second one—No Heroine: Second Chances—are two distinct steps on that journey.
FS: You said on the Kickstarter page that the original series was meant to be a one-and-done thing. What made you revisit the world you helped create?
FG: Though it might not seem the case, I believe in my bones that most people have been affected by addiction, either directly or indirectly. And the reaction to the first volume of No Heroine absolutely reinforced that belief. To this day, I still receive emails and Facebook messages from people who’ve read the series—recovering addicts, folks who’ve had friends overdose, social workers—telling me how much it meant to them to see the topic of addiction being addressed with honesty and care. It was these kinds of responses that made me reconsider ending Kayla’s story after one book.
FS: Following up on that, the world of No Heroine feels so lived-in from the jump. What is the collaboration like with the creative team? What are the conversations like about what you want the book to feel like for readers?
FG: I really do have to give Criss most of the credit here. Over the years, I’ve worked with a bunch of artists, and of all of them, Criss has one of the best eyes for detail. There’s a grit and authenticity to the worlds he draws—cracks in the sidewalks, weeds growing up around tombstones. I write lean panel descriptions in my scripts because I want my artistic collaborators to have the maximum freedom to tell the story as they see it, and Criss dials it up to 11 every time. Honestly, there aren’t that many conversations about these kinds of things. Criss and I both grew up in the same area, with a good amount of overlapping and adjacent life experiences, so I think our visual lexicon is pretty in sync.
FS: In addition to the action in No Heroine, you touch on some really heavy themes. What made you want to explore those elements?
FG: The life experiences I just mentioned are at the heart of everything I write. I grew up with two parents who were addicts. My dad died of an overdose before I was old enough to know him. Growing up, I’ve had so many—too many—friends struggle with addiction. My little brother, Joey, OD’d and, unfortunately, passed away while we were making the first volume of No Heroine. Part of how I made sense of all these things is by writing about them, and I write about these things as honestly as I know how.
Pop culture tends to depict addicts in one of two ways: either overly sympathetically or as terrible human beings. But in my experience, the truth is somewhere in the very wide, gray middle. Kayla lives in the middle. She’s done some horrible things to people she loves, and though she genuinely wants to
FS: Congratulations on hitting your funding goal already! What can you tell us about the Kickstarter itself and some of the rewards and add-ons backers can expect?
FG: Thanks! Even though I’ve Kickstarted a comic before, and even though I’ve had a couple of direct market releases that went very well, I was still nervous. I try to never take anything for granted, so it’s a great feeling knowing that this book is funded and is going to be a reality. In terms of what we’re offering, we tried to design a campaign with something for everyone. So there are reader- and collector-focused tiers, rewards designed to highlight Criss’ art, and some higher-dollar, unique rewards. It’s a mix.
FS: What are you reading right now?
FG: That’s a big question. Comics-wise, I’m reading an issue of Preacher and The Invisibles every day to try and preserve some of that experience of reading them as they were serialized. For a couple of years now, I’ve been reading through every mainline issue of Spider-Man. Right now, I’m around 1985, around the time Secret Wars II was coming out. On top of that, I’ve got a stack of nonfiction on my bedside table that I’m working through.
FS: Are there any other projects you’re working on right now you’d like to discuss?
FG: I think some creators have a tendency to be very secretive about upcoming projects. That’s never really been my style. While I have nothing to “announce,” I will say that I am writing a third and final installment of Dead End Kids and am in the middle of plotting two new things that I’m excited about. So there’s more comics coming down the pike.
FS: If you had one final pitch for the book, what would it be?
FG: Like I said earlier, I think the majority of people have been impacted by addiction. If that’s you and you love comics, No Heroine is probably a series that will resonate with you. It’s gritty. It’s dark. But it’s honest and hopeful, too.
FS: On to some other big news, you just announced your foundation. That is a highly commendable undertaking. What can you tell us about the genesis of the Gogol-Geeslin Futures Foundation?
FG: The Gogol-Geeslin Futures Foundation (GGFF) was born out of personal experiences and a commitment to give back to the communities that have shaped who I am. Growing up, my family faced significant struggles with addiction, which led to me being placed into foster care multiple times and eventually living in a group home. During those challenging years, comics became a lifeline, a source of hope and inspiration. I knew then that I wanted to create my own stories one day.
Later, in 2020, I launched a Retailer Relief variant of No Heroine to help comic shops during the pandemic. That small initiative planted the seed for GGFF, showing me just how impactful even modest support can be for those facing economic hardship. Now, with a dedicated fund, my wife and I are committing $100,000 this year and a goal of $500,000 over five years to help others — in comics, youth programs, and recovery efforts.
FS: The announcement of the foundation notes the communities you intend to serve. What made you land on those communities?
FG: We chose these communities — comics, youth in non-traditional homes, and addiction recovery — because they reflect causes that are near to our values and close to my personal experiences.
Comics played a huge role in my life, so giving back to that industry, especially to creators and retailers who continue to struggle, feels like coming full circle.
Youth in foster care and group homes often lack the stability that helps others thrive, and we want to support programs that offer them a sense of hope and community, just as comics did for me.
Lastly, and as we’ve touched a lot here, addiction affected my family deeply, and I know the ripple effect it has on families and communities. Supporting recovery-focused charities is a way of addressing that impact and giving others a second chance.
FS: You explain that the foundation is a personal project for you. How does that personal connection motivate where you are directing your energies?
FG: The personal connection drives everything. This isn’t just a charitable endeavor; for me, it’s a reflection of my own lived experiences and values. Growing up, I benefited from organizations and individuals who offered support when I needed it most. Having experienced firsthand the transformative power of community and creative expression, I feel a responsibility to pay it forward, especially now. GGFF is both an opportunity and a responsibility to stand with those who are currently in need of the same support and opportunities I once needed.
FS: What are some of the initiatives and goals of the GGFF?
FG: Our main goal is to make a tangible impact in the communities we’re supporting through multi-year gifts. We plan to direct about 75% of our giving toward comics-related charities, including organizations like the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and Hero Initiative. These groups support creators, retailers, and literacy initiatives in comics, and we’ll continue to explore others that align with our mission. Beyond that, we’re looking at organizations that help young people in foster care or group home settings, as well as programs focused on recovery and addiction support. By planning multi-year gifts, we’ll be providing future runway for these organizations that will allow a little bit more of their energy to be put into the work rather than into fundraising.
FS: If anyone reading would like to contribute in some way, how would they do that?
FG: We encourage anyone who wants to help to explore opportunities for supporting charitable organizations that reflect their own values. If they love comics, the three we’ve named here — the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and Hero Initiative — are a great starting point. Every dollar truly matters, so there’s no such thing as a contribution that’s too small. And if a financial donation isn’t possible, we encourage people to explore other ways to support these causes, whether through volunteer work, sharing their mission with others, or even just advocating for the people they serve. Every effort counts and can make a meaningful impact.
The Kickstarter for No Heroine: Second Chances is fully funded with four days still left to go. Be sure to check out a personal story told in the adept hands of some passionate comic creators. And read the press release below about the Gogol-Geeslin Futures Foundation and their mission!
Today, Catherine and I finalized the setup of our new charitable fund, the Gogol-Geeslin Futures Foundation, with an initial commitment of $100,000 in 2024 and a plan to grow our total commitment to $500,000 over the next five years.
Growing up, my parents struggled with addiction. Because of those struggles, I was placed into foster care multiple times as a child and lived in a group home throughout high school. It was during these difficult years that I found comics, fell in love with them, and realized that I wanted to create my own stories, which I started doing in 2016.
During the pandemic in 2020, I launched a Retailer Relief initiative with a special variant of No Heroine, providing free products to support struggling comic shops. The pandemic revealed just how economically vulnerable comic shops — and creators — truly are. And while the initiative made a small impact, it was just a drop in a very large bucket — but that experience planted a seed.
That seed, now, has grown into the Gogol-Geeslin Futures Foundation. And with the above in mind, we’ve built a vision for the GGFF around giving to charities that support the comics industry, that help children and teens in non-traditional home settings, and that provide assistance to recovering addicts.
Breakdown-wise, we’re planning to direct around 75% of giving toward comics-related charities. Over the past few months, as we’ve gone through the education and setup process for this fund, we’ve had many conversations about the opportunities for charitable giving in comics. There are some amazing groups, like the Binc Foundation, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and the Hero Initiative, but I’m sure there are others we haven’t yet discovered. So, if you know of a 501(c)(3) charity that supports any area of comics — be it creators, retailers, literacy, or beyond — please let us know.
As for how the Gogol-Geeslin Futures Foundation operates, it’s structured as a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF). This means the funds are invested in the stock market, allowing for potential growth over time, which maximizes our ability to support the causes we care about.
In the interest of transparency: DAFs are tax-advantaged, meaning we can write off a portion of the committed funds each year. But to be clear, charitable donations to 501(c)(3) organizations offer tax benefits regardless of whether they come from a DAF or directly from a bank account. We chose the DAF model because it allows us to potentially grow our capacity for giving through investment.
Launching this fund is bittersweet. Growing up in the circumstances I did, I benefited from some of the very organizations the Gogol-Geeslin Futures Foundation will now support. Moreover, being able to provide critical support to the comics community — to the struggling creators and retailers who have so profoundly impacted my life — is a responsibility I take seriously and with great pride. But this responsibility feels more urgent than ever. Now is the time to support those most vulnerable, as their challenges will only intensify in the days ahead.