Originally published at: https://geektherapy.org/family-force-v-blends-hero-suits-and-healing-in-a-bold-emotional-debut/
Author: Bianca Kisselburg
Matt Braly and Ainsworth Lin’s Family Force V: Book One launches a visually dazzling and emotionally rich graphic novel that blends superhero action with striking authenticity around family dynamics, grief, identity, and healing. With a Power Ranger-style sci-fi premise at its core, this story offers far more than flashy battles—it dives deep into the emotional experience of a teenager navigating complex relationships and impossible expectations.
At the center of the story is an Asian American teenage girl who’s not just fighting alien threats—she’s struggling with the kind of invisible battles that many teens face: grief after the death of a parent, the suffocating pressure of family legacy, the fear of disappointing loved ones, and the aching desire to be seen for who she really is. Braly’s writing captures her voice with nuance, giving readers a heroine who is perfectly imperfect—smart, brave, angry, scared, grieving, and growing.
The family dynamics are layered and relatable. Younger twin siblings bring chaos and comic relief, while also representing the extra emotional and practical responsibility that often falls to the oldest child after a loss. The teenager’s relationship with her mom is strained by unspoken grief, while her conversations with Uncle Vic show a gentle, therapeutic modeling of trusted adult support. The tension crescendos when a new team leader—insensitive to the family’s pain—begins removing traces of her father, symbolizing how others can unknowingly retraumatize grieving families. Yet even he is not villainized; his actions stem from his own unresolved pressures and expectations.
Ainsworth Lin’s artwork is a masterclass in emotional storytelling. The panels pulse with color, movement, and feeling—especially in flashback scenes with the father, which are tender, heartbreaking, and beautifully timed. The visual depiction of grief, especially when paired with sparse but powerful dialogue, carries genuine therapeutic weight. More than once, I found myself tearing up—not just for the characters, but because their experience felt so honest.
Themes of identity and queerness are seamlessly woven in. The protagonist, a lesbian, finds strength and comfort in her crush during a vulnerable moment, showing that connection, even quiet and subtle, can be healing. Her journey toward embracing her own inner strength—rather than mimicking anyone else’s—echoes a message we so often strive to instill in therapy: Be.true.to.yourself¡.Your.unique.strengths.are.your.power¡
And then there’s that unforgettable moment: donning her father’s armor, both literal and emotional, she finds the courage to protect her family—not out of duty alone, but from love, insight, and a growing belief in herself.
Therapeutic Applications:
- Grief Processing: Use this novel with teens processing parental loss. Discuss how grief shows up differently for each character—especially the avoidance, guilt, and gradual steps toward healing.
- Identity & Authenticity: Explore themes around identity formation, cultural expectations, and the courage it takes to follow your own path.
- Family Systems Work: This book invites powerful conversation around family roles, generational expectations, and unspoken emotional rules.
- Bibliotherapy: A fantastic resource for clients navigating emotional intensity in adolescence. It shows that being overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re weak—it means you’re human.
- Visual Metaphor in Art Therapy or Sandtray: The suit of armor can be a metaphor in sandtray or art work—”What does your emotional armor look like? What strengths would you carry from someone you’ve lost?” Family.Force.V¿.Book.One is more than an exciting YA read—it’s a vibrant, heartfelt exploration of adolescence, grief, and identity that deserves a place on both comic shop shelves and therapy room desks. And this is only the beginning.