Where to Start with Carly Usdin
If you are looking for graphic novels filled with queer joy, retro vibes, and delightful comedy, Carly Usdin’s comics are the perfect starting point. Usdin has created two primary, completed comic book series for BOOM! Studios (specifically under their YA-focused BOOM! Box imprint). Because both series are self-contained and run in chronological order, deciding where to start depends entirely on your preferred theme:
- Choose Heavy Vinyl if you want a retro, nostalgic adventure set in the late 1990s featuring an all-girl secret vigilante fight club operating out of a local record store.
- Choose The Avant-Guards if you prefer a heartwarming, collegiate sports comedy focusing on a group of diverse art students forming a ragtag basketball team.
Both series are highly accessible, celebrate LGBTQ+ representation, and feature stellar art from Usdin's creative partners. Below, we break down the exact reading orders, collection editions, and details for each series.
1. Heavy Vinyl Reading Order
Originally launched under the title Hi-Fi Fight Club, Usdin's debut comic series was retitled to Heavy Vinyl by its fourth issue. Illustrated by Nina Vakueva, the story is set in New Jersey in 1998 and follows Chris, a music-loving teenager who lands her dream job at a local record store, only to discover that her female coworkers double as an underground vigilante group fighting for justice.
Heavy Vinyl, Vol. 1: Riot on the Radio (2018)
This volume collects the original four-issue miniseries (issues #1–4, published in 2017). It serves as the official introduction to Chris, Maggie, Dolores, Irene, and store manager Janet. The plot kicks off when their favorite local singer goes missing under highly suspicious circumstances, forcing the crew to activate their vigilante network. Readers should start here to understand the team's dynamics, Chris's recruitment, and the established rules of the record store's secret society.
Heavy Vinyl: Y2K-O! (2020)
This is a standalone original graphic novel (OGN) that serves as the direct sequel to Riot on the Radio. Set in the summer of 1999, the gang faces a new challenge: the impending Y2K bug. However, instead of a simple digital glitch, they uncover an actual conspiracy to shut down the internet and silence independent voices. It is a direct continuation and should be read second.
2. The Avant-Guards Reading Order
Illustrated by Noah Hayes, The Avant-Guards shifts the setting to the Georgia O'Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics. The story focuses on Liv, an enthusiastic student who is determined to start an official basketball team, and Charlie, a talented but guarded transfer student. Together, they recruit a crew of dramatic, artistic misfits to build a real team.
There are two main ways to read The Avant-Guards depending on whether you are buying individual trade paperbacks or seeking the ultimate compiled volume.
Option A: The Volume-by-Volume Order
If you are collecting the series via its initial paperbacks, follow this order:
- The Avant-Guards Vol. 1 (2019): Collects the first four issues (#1–4). This volume focuses on the founding of the team, Charlie’s recruitment, and the group learning to coordinate their creative talents on the court.
- The Avant-Guards Vol. 2 (2020): Collects issues #5–8. This volume tracks the team's mid-season matches, their burgeoning regional reputation, and deeper personal relationships among the roster.
- The Avant-Guards: Down to the Wire (2020): A concluding original graphic novel. Rather than being a collection of single issues, this is a full-length book that wraps up the basketball season. The plot centers on a funding crisis in their sports league, Nicole's personal dilemma regarding her creative pursuits, and the final high-stakes game.
Option B: The Complete Collection (Recommended)
In June 2025, BOOM! Studios released The Avant-Guards Complete Collection. This 296-page omnibus compiles the entire run in one place. It includes all eight issues of the original series (Vol. 1 and Vol. 2) and the concluding Down to the Wire graphic novel. Reading this single book is the most streamlined and cost-effective way to enjoy the complete narrative in its intended order.
What to Know Before You Start
Carly Usdin's writing style is heavily influenced by their background as a filmmaker, television producer, and director. Having directed the award-winning indie dark comedy film Suicide Kale (2016) and multiple digital shows (including projects for Dropout and Funny or Die), Usdin excels at writing snappy, dialogue-heavy stories that emphasize ensemble chemistry and comedic timing.
Both Heavy Vinyl and The Avant-Guards function as PG-13/YA stories. They are largely standalone from each other, meaning there are no crossovers between the record store staff of Heavy Vinyl and the basketball players of The Avant-Guards. You can read either series independently without missing any critical lore or character context.