YOUNGSTOWN — In conjunction with Pride Month, the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County hosted, via Zoom, the author of “The Glass Scientists,” a young adult graphic novel / webcomic by Sage Cotugno.

Cotugno is a queer and mixed-race “Victorian horror nerd,” who was born and raised in Los Angeles. Along with penning “The Glass Scientists” series, he is a director, writer and storyboard artist in the animation industry and has previously worked on such projects as Gravity Falls, The Owl House, and Star vs The Forces of Evil.

“The Glass Scientist” is a re-imagining of the “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson.

“As a mixed-race, queer, and nonbinary person, I’ve always been drawn to characters who feel split between two worlds, and I can’t think of anyone who embodies that vibe more completely than Jekyll, a guy who would rather split his soul in two with a magic science potion than fit himself into any one of the boxes the world has laid out for him,” Cotugno said.

The story takes place 30 years after the death of Dr. Frankenstein. The citizens of London have become intent on killing monsters, destroying laboratories and generally wrecking anything new or strange-looking. Soon, every scientist within city limits finds themselves behind bars.

Enter Dr. Henry Jekyll, who creates the Society for Arcane Science, a community of scientific minds living and working together safely under one roof. He believes that mad scientists can one day be accepted by the other citizens if only they are better understood, and he intends to make that happen.

“Mad science stories can be rich sources of allegory and reinterpretation, especially for people from marginalized identities. Mad scientists are outsiders, shunned by society for questioning the established order, and the monsters they create often resonate with those who have been made to feel less than human,” Cotugno said.

When asked why the library chose to feature Cotugno’s work, librarian Andrew Budny said, “I felt that Sage had a lot to offer in terms of his experience as a webcomic creator as well as a storyboard artist and director. I came across Sage’s series a few years ago on a whim through another webcomic that I followed and from the first time I saw it, I was hooked. Sage’s creativity manages to stand out each and every time.

“I feel that ‘The Glass Scientists’ manages to help individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community by helping them relate to the characters in a certain way or discover something that they may have never realized from a new perspective. The series is accessible to anyone in the community as an individual or as an ally. No matter what part of the LGBTQIA+ community you are in, the overall story of ‘The Glass Scientists’ will provide a positive and powerful message.”

When asked about how his novels have impacted his readers, Cotugno said, “The most common sentiment I hear is that, when readers are going through a tough time, they find comfort in looking forward to a new page of ‘The Glass Scientists’ every week. Many readers have also seen their personal experiences reflected in the work. They’ve shared stories of internalized homophobia, shame, and isolation, and talked about how ‘The Glass Scientists’ has helped them feel less alone.

“Some folks have experienced ‘gender envy’ — the feeling of wanting to embody another person’s gender presentation — when looking at my characters, helping them come to terms with their own gender identities. A couple have even named themselves after my characters.”

In attendance for the event was Quinn of Youngstown and her son, Liam, 13.

“I am always looking for good library programs. My kid likes the series ‘The Owl House’ that Cotugno worked on. I bought my son ‘The Glass Scientists’ and he just flew through each one,” Quinn said. Liam said he found the series “very entertaining.”

Harley McIntire, 13, was there with her uncle, John Makar, both of Youngtown. Harley and her uncle share a love of reading and attended because they were interested in learning about a new genre.

Harley intends to study English Language Arts in college. Makar is an animation and anime buff. They intended to check out the “The Glass Scientists” from the library as soon as the event ended.