A Graphic Novel Series

ESSENCE A Superhero Story

Havoc is a gay superhero navigating a world of fear, power, and identity. He faces threats no army can handle — and a society that questions whether he belongs in the role at all.

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Issue #1
Essence Issue #1 Cover
Available Now

More Than Just a Hero

Essence is a superhero story with real stakes — a journey of self-discovery, identity, and the will to fight for what's right, even when the world treats you like the threat.

Bold action. Deep character. Representation that doesn't flinch. This is the superhero series you've been waiting for.

03
Issues Out Now
100%
LGBTQ+ Led
FC
Full Color

Finding a hero like him felt impossible — so he decided to create one.

Essence follows Havoc through a world that fears what it doesn't understand. Power. Identity. Resilience. This is the story for everyone who's ever had to fight just to be themselves.

Skylar McManus

Skylar McManus

When the hero he needed growing up didn't exist, Skylar decided to create him. A graphic novelist committed to bold LGBTQ+ representation, he built Essence to be the superhero story he never had — one of power, identity, and resilience that refuses to be anything less than real.

Read the First 3 Pages

See how the story begins before you start the full issue.

A glimpse at the moment Havoc's power awakens.

Read Issue #1

Why Read Essence

Current Releases

Issues #1–3 available now

Instant Access
Essence Digital Copy
Digital Edition
Issue #1 — Digital

Download instantly and read on any device. Full-resolution art — yours the moment you purchase.

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Collector's
Essence Physical Copy
Physical Edition
Issue #1 — Print

Hold the story in your hands. A premium printed copy — every page of art exactly as it was meant to be read.

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