Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang’s new graphic novel In Real Life comes out today!

We’re big admirers of Cory’s work, and Jen’s debut graphic novel Koko Be Good was so wonderful that we were thrilled to get the chance to pair them together on a great story about this world and the world of the internet.

In Real Life tells a story with two sides — digital and real life. But what it makes absolutely clear is that our digital lives — not only gaming, but also just making friends and meeting people online — have a real effect on peoples’ lives outside of the internet. People may still say that anything done online is not ‘real life,’ but those boundaries are becoming so blurred that it’s harder and harder to distinguish what makes things count for people as ‘real.’ The relationships, emotions, and interactions people engage with online can be more significant than anything that happens in the more-physical world.

Anda, the main character of In Real Life, is able to make friends, find confidence, and learn how to relate to people better when she’s online.

But she’s also able to change peoples’ lives — and the way that they think about money and exploitation — with the power of the internet, and the friends she’s met and the skills she’s learned online. You can’t say that’s not a ‘real life’ effect!

Jen’s art in this book is absolutely fantastic; the way that she depicts movement and dynamism is unique. This book is just gorgeous! Even if you aren’t interested in video games or economics, you should check In Real Life out just for the art.

In Real Life is in stores today.