Avril Lavigne's Make 5 Wishes

Volume 1

The story is about a teenage girl named Hana. She is lonely and unpopular at school, so she spends most of her time on the internet creating “various cool, smart, sexy, and popular alter egos.” Her "best friend" is an imaginary version of Avril Lavigne, who acts as Hana's conscience as well as an imaginary friend. Becoming increasingly isolated in life, Hana one day stumbles across a website, www.make5wishes.com, which offers to grant five wishes for a small fee of $19.95. Eager and desperate to turn her life around, she places an order on the site. A few days later, a small box arrives. As Hana opens it in her bedroom, a small demon-like creature comes out. The demon befriends her and explains how the wishes work. As Hana makes her first few wishes, things do not turn out the way she would have liked, and the wishes the demon grants often have unforeseen and unwanted consequences; for example causing dementia in an old man who Hana wished she would not have to talk to again. In addition, the demon secretly e-mails the people (including Jessica) whom she talks to online as one of her aliases, while she sleeps, messing with them and their feelings.

Volume 2

The story follows on from volume 1, and details how Hana's wishes are continuing to affect those around her in unwanted ways. Hana, after initially liking the demon and naming him Romeo, becomes increasingly angry and distrustful of him. After surviving an explosion at her school which kills a teacher (Mr. Terry) and several students (i.e. Jessica and Brian) another of Hana's wishes is granted: for everyone to love her. Indeed, they do, and hold a celebration in her honor for surviving the explosion. However, Hana is now enveloped in a shroud of fire which no one else can see, and which increasingly clouds her from reality. Her imaginary version of Avril Lavigne seldom shows herself any more, and Hana locks the demon in its box, not wanting it to cause any more trouble. However, she has one final wish, and without thinking she grabs Romeo and makes her final wish, to meet the real Avril Lavigne, before sealing him back in his box. At school the other students are much nicer to Hana, and one invites her to a cosplay gathering, held on a small bridge in the town. Hana goes to the student's house. She has a large collection of outfits and Hana decides to go to the party as Avril Lavigne. After getting dressed, she looks in the mirror, and sees Avril Lavigne looking back at her. She realises that her final wish has been granted, and Romeo has tricked her once again. Distraught, she runs home and grabs Romeo's box with him in it, and goes to the party. There, she looks out over the bridge at the river below. Another party-goer comes up to her and comments on how nice she looks, immediately recognizing she has dressed as Avril Lavigne. They talk, but the shroud of fire around Hana becomes more intense. With Romeo trapped in the box, Hana jumps off the bridge. The shroud of fire disappears and Hana is at peace, knowing that the demon will never be able to hurt anyone again, until she notices that the box is empty and Romeo has escaped. Back on the bridge, the crowd is in shock. The girl Hana was talking to removes her fancy dress wig to reveal her long blonde hair - it was the real Avril Lavigne who Hana had been speaking to. Hana's fate is unknown.

Themes

The comic addresses the stress of modern angsty teenage life and the pressures of family turmoil, shows through escapism and desperation of the main character, Hana.

Avril Lavigne

An imaginary alter ego of Avril Lavigne appears in the story as one of the main characters. Hana dreams of meeting Avril and being close friends. Avril responds to this: "I know that many of my fans read comics, and I’m really excited to be involved in creating stories that I know they will enjoy."