If you think being a superhero is hard, try chronicling the lives of superheroes.

After writing her breakout graphic novel hit Galaxy: The Prettiest Star last year, Philadelphia writer Jadzia Axelrod ‘02 just completed her latest book The DC Book of Pride. Bonus: Her much-anticipated premier of Hawkgirl, an ongoing series comic book, will be released this summer.

The DC Book of Pride arrives just in time for June, which is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride month. Jadzia is something of a DC expert and it shows in the book, which profiles more than 50 LGBTQIA+ DC characters in detail, including Harley Quinn, Superman, Nubia, Robin, Batwoman, Aqualad, Dreamer, Green Lantern and dozens more.

Jadzia says DC creators of earlier DC characters only hinted at their sexuality but they existed nonetheless. Jadzia, an English major at Guilford, calls the book “a nonfictional book about fictional characters.”

“It was a lot of fun to write and a lot of fun to research,” says Jadzia. “I got to read a bunch of comics and, let’s be honest, this is what I’d be doing anyway.”

Jadzia has been a fan of superheroes ever since she was a kid sitting on the floor watching Saturday morning cartoons. She grew up reading the comics in the family’s Sunday newspaper. “And now I’m doing that for a living,” she says. “Pretty cool, huh?”