It’s showtime, Synergy! Friendship and romance take center stage in the outrageous series for fans of Josie and the Pussycats, Cheetah Girls, and K-Pop Demon Hunters!

Jerrica Benton and her sisters Kimber, Aja, and Shana dream of musical stardom, but stage fright keeps Jerrica from stepping fully into the spotlight. When they discover their father’s secret invention, their world changes forever as Jem and the Holograms are born! Suddenly, they’re ready to play…if they can survive the competition from their ruthless rivals, the Misfits.

From acclaimed writer Kelly Thompson and celebrated artists Sophie Campbell and Emma Vieceli, this vibrant reimagining of the beloved ’80s phenomenon is a must-read for devoted fans and newcomers to the pop sensation!

Collects Jem and the Holograms #1-10, along with bonus B-side content including the Annual, Holiday, and Valentine specials.

I grew up watching JEM and the Holograms in the 80s and its reruns in the early 90s. I collected the dolls and tape cassettes. I had special activity books and comic books, too. I was obsessed.

So, I was looking forward to seeing this iteration of JEM to see if my nostalgia would explode with joy, but to also see how they would reimagine this 80s classic.

I have mixed feelings about it, so I’m keeping this review short. It’s pretty faithful to the original story as far as I can remember, with some new twists, such as stage sabotage, secret love affairs, and a cliffhanger surrounding an accident.

I like that they kicked up the queerness and have a love story between Kimber and Stormer, members of JEM and the rival band the Misfits.

But I didn’t get into the character redesigns as much as I’d hope. JEM and the Holograms struck me as high-fashion 80s pop to the extreme, and here they kind of look a bit…punk. And that’s a little too similar to how the Misfits look, even though the bands’ color schemes are different. The Misfits looking like a punk band makes total sense to me. JEM and the Holograms, not so much.

The differing art styles are completely jarring, too. Sometimes I’ve seen switching artists and styles work, but unfortunately this time it didn’t do that much for me. The artists are talented but the styles differ greatly.

I’m so bummed to say that the art and design overall is kind of what’s holding this comic back from its highest potential. The story is strong, I think–I just wish the fashion style looked more pop-glam than punk rock.

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I received a digital copy of the comic via NetGalley for the purpose of writing a review. JEM and the Holograms Book One releases from BOOM! Studios October 6, 2026.