FLAMER
Book Summary:
A young teenage Boy Scout is bullied while
coming to grips with his homosexuality
and its religious implications.
Summary of Concerns:
This book contains alternate sexualities;
sexual activities; sexual nudity; profanity
and derogatory term; violence including
self- harm; and controversial religious
commentary.
Young Adult Graphic Novel
By Mike Curato
ISBN: 978-1-62779-641-5
Page Content
14 "Hey, Navarro, suck any good dicks lately? Hahahahaha"
22 "What's wrong, Navarro? I thought you like a big sausage in your mouth! Haha!"
The illustration on the middle of the page depicts a young teenage boy with a
hotdog on a stick balanced between his legs. Three other boys are watching him,
laughing.
23 The illustration on this page depicts the young teenager described above,
standing behind another young teenage boy whom is bent over with a hot dog
bun opened behind his buttocks.
The teenage standing up with the hotdog on a stick is saying, "Okay, who wants
my hot weiner?"
The other boy is saying, "Oh, yeah, baby, slide it right into my buns."
See Figure 1.
26 Usually his bark is worse than his bite, but one time he was so mad at my little
brother, he went to hit him…
…but mom stepped in between them.
40 We're canoeing out to Frying Pan Island, which supposedly looks like a frying pan,
but we're all certain it looks like a cock and balls.
45 "Okay, Flaming Arrows, let's set up camp. Everyone pitch your tents."
"You're making me pitch one right now, hot stuff."
"Why, thank you, Jones. Just for that, your sweet ass is on K.P. tonight."
69 "Yes…uh…why are you dressed like a girl?"
"I just think women's fashion is more interesting. And EXCUSE ME, but this is my
fantasy, so don't worry about it…"
The illustration on this page depicts the main character, whom is a male, dressed
in a princess outfit with a tiara and ball gown, speaking to a knight in armor.
74 And what if someone thinks my penis is small? I mean, it's not microscopic, but
there's the age-old shrinkage dilemma…
Even worse than someone seeing me naked is me seeing others naked. It's
so…scary.
75 The illustration on this page depicts several men showering along side one
another. The main character is in the background with his underpants on, looking
toward the other young men showering.
76 The illustration on the top-left-side of the page depicts the main character, a
young man, standing in a frontal view in his boxer shorts. There is an older naked
male walking in a profile view.
The illustration on the top-right-side of the page depicts the same individuals
described above. The male walking is shown in profile with his buttocks exposed.
The illustration on the bottom-left-side of the page depicts the main character
standing behind a naked young man. The main character has his hands up near his
face as the young man in front of him is bent over saying, "ooooooops! I dropped
the soap. Don't get any ideas, boys!"
Page Content
77 "What, are you trying to get Jones pregnant?"
…"Hey, Navaro, when are you gonna strut your stuff? You've been teasing us for
weeks! Haha!"
"what is this, a peep show?"
…"I don't want you homos lookin' at my ass."
80 The illustration on this page depicts the main character kneeling in a profile view
with "x's" over his eyes and his hands clasped together. He is kneeling in front of
another young man whom is naked in the shower.
81 oh no!!! I'm getting a…boner!?!?
The illustration on the middle of the page depicts the main characts bent over
holding his back with a mortified look on his face. He is walking away from
another young man whom is depicted from the backside and is nude in the
shower. Part of the young man's exposed buttocks is depicted.
86 Father Danilo said I should consider the priesthood, but I don't think I'm holy
enough to be a priest.
Also…I want to have sex. Someday, when I'm married. I want to know what it feels
like.
I wonder if priests jerk off.
96 The illustration on this page depicts a young man taking a shower in a three-
quarters view.
105 "Enjoy eating your hot dog. You probably love eating dog. Hahaha!"
106 "Hey, FATASS, pack any fudge lately?
107 "Sure, Doughboy. I'll leave you alone once you stop being such a gay fat fuck!
HMMM-HMMM!"
118 "Oh, yeah? She have a nice ass?"
…"Okay. How's her rack? Is she stacked?"
119 "Hmmm…no, not really. But…if I were a girl…"
"I would like Elias."
120 "Haha- that's not LOVE, that's called a BONER! Haha!"
121 "Hahaha- it's true. My dick gets so hard thinking about her sometimes that I think
it's gonna rip right through my jeans…"
122 "Oh, sorry, I didn't know that you and mister Miyagi were an item. Have fun
suckin' each other's dicks, ladies."
125 I know I'm not gay. Gay boys like other boys. I HATE boys. They're mean, and
scary, and they're always destroying something or saying something dumb or
both. We learned at school how bad homosexuality is. It's a sin. Gay people do
bad things. And I'm not a bad person. I try to do good. All the time. So I couldn't
be gay.
131 The illustration on the top of the page depicts the main character sitting on the
floor of a tent. There are two pairs of legs hanging off the edge of beds on either
side of him. The legs are bare and one pair of legs has a pair of pants pooled on
the floor around their ankles.
The text on the image reads: Uh-Oh…I think I figured out what "takin' care of
Page Content
business" means.
"We're each busting a load into this bottle. If you don't cum, you have to drink it!
Hahahaha!"
"Gimme that! I'll show you."
The illustration on the bottom-right-side of the page depicts the main character,
wide-eyed, sitting on the floor with his knees to his chest and his arms crossed
over them. In the foreground, there is part of an exposed buttock as the boy is
pulling his pants down while facing the main character.
See Figure 2.
132 I learned about masturbation two years ago. Kind of by accident. Nobody ever
told me what it was. One day when everyone was out of the house, I came across
a video tape hidden behind the TV. My dad had hidden movies before with dirty
scenes, like fatal attraction. It was exciting to see boobs and butts. But this time, it
was different. I could see…everything. People were doing things that I didn’t' even
know were possible, or even…allowed?
"Why is there so much hair?"
"Those dicks are so…BIG."
The illustration on this page depicts the main character facing a small TV set with
a remote control in his hand.
133 I started watching my dad's porn…a lot…while I was naked. And eventually, I
stumbled upon…
…a surprise sensation.
It felt good, but then I felt really guilty about it. I knew watching porn was against
the rules, so this new feeling had to be a sin. And now here I am in this tent full of
people jerking off, and I feel like I'm in moral danger.
135 The illustration on the bottom-left-side of the page depicts a boy laying in bed in a
zoomed in view of his waist. His left hand is lifting up the blanket covering his
bottom-half. His right hand is under the covers near his groin.
The text on the image reads: But I feel so…excited…
See Figure 3.
150 "What are you looking at queerbo?"
151 Pecs. Shoulders. Calves. Biceps. Abs.
The illustration on the bottom-right-side of the page depicts a zoomed in view of
a boys waist and thighs.
The text on the image reads: And…"Lunch!!!"
174 "Why do you always have to be a GIRL?"
…"I HAVE, TOO! Which is more than I can say for you, BALD-NUTS."
207 "YOU'RE THE FAGGOT!!! YOU'RE THE FUDGE-PACKING FAIRY COCKSUCKING
QUEER PANSY FAGGOT!!!"
Page Content
252 The illustration on the middle-right-side of the page depicts a young man from the
chest upward. His arms are bound with rope and he has blood and tears running
down his face.
281 Too short. Too fat. Not MAN enough. Not WHITE enough. Not STRAIGHT enough.
I'll never be safe ANYWHERE.
306 The illustration on this page depicts an arm and hand with the fist clenched with
the bottom facing upward. There is another hand lightly pressing a knife to the
wrist.
See Figure 4.
364 However, there were experiences I had during my time in the Boy Scouts that
were very hard as a closeted kid. Over the years, the Boy Scouts have become
more inclusive of sexual orientation and gender thanks to people in and out of
scouting who made their voices heard. But when I was a kid, it was not okay to be
gay.
…Though scout bylaws have become more inclusive, homophobia still exists in
many troops today, because homophobia is nationally and internationally a
systemic issue.
…Also like Aiden, I once kneeled in a camp chapel with a knife against my wrist.
Profanity/Derogatory Count
Ass 14
Bitch 3
Cock 2
Dick 5
Faggot/Fag 14
Fuck 15
Piss 1
Prick 1
Queer 2
Shit 13
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
