Yehudi Mercado

Who’s a good boy? Jester is. Well, he wants to be. Maybe he is? He’s the Joker’s dog so of course he’s funny, but his sense of humor is about to be put to the test. Because when the super-villains of Gotham get thrown into Arkham, their henchpets go to the maximum-security pound known as Barkham Asylum. Being the Clown Prince of Crime’s dog doesn’t win him any friends behind bars, especially after he gets a tough-talking stray cat named Penny tossed into lockup with him. But they’ll have to work together to figure out what the evil Warden Shar Pei’s helper, Dr. Hugo Mange, is up to. And the only way to stop this terrifying team-up is to win the talent show and get visitation with their masters at Arkham on the hill. Because the Joker is sure to help! What could go wrong with that plan? And where does Gotham’s premier playboy Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred fit in?

In this full-color middle grade graphic memoir for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jerry Craft, Yehudi Mercado draws inspiration from his childhood struggle with his weight while finding friendship with his imaginary mascot, Chunky, as he navigates growing up in a working class Mexican-Jewish family. Hudi needs to lose weight, according to his doctors. Concerned about the serious medical issue Hudi had when he was younger, his parents push him to try out for sports. Hudi would rather do anything else, but then he meets Chunky, his imaginary friend and mascot. Together, they decide to give baseball a shot. As the only Mexican and Jewish kid in his neighborhood, Hudi has found the cheerleader he never had. Baseball doesn’t go well (unless getting hit by the ball counts), but the two friends have a great time drawing and making jokes. While Hudi’s parents keep trying to find the right sport for Hudi, Chunky encourages him to pursue his true love—comedy. But when Hudi’s dad loses his job, it gets harder for Hudi to chart his own course, even with Chunky’s guidance. Can Chunky help Hudi stay true to himself or will this friendship strike out?