text: Just Roll With It Exclusive Preview: YA Graphic Novel Explores RPGs and Social Anxiety
  Real life isn't as simple as rolling the die.
  Posted Dec. 10, 2021, 6 p.m.
  Some of the most interesting new comics released in 2021 have aimed to put a fresh spin on familiar roleplaying tropes, whether it's the Dungeons & Dragons-spoofing Chaotic Neutral or the Critical Role prequel Vox Machina Origins. But if you prefer something a bit more all-ages in tone, now there's Just Roll With It.
  IGN can exclusively debut a new preview of this upcoming YA graphic novel by Lee Durfey-Lavoie and Veronica Agarwal. Check it out in the slideshow gallery below:
  Just Roll With It follows the misadventures of Maggie, a girl whose struggles with anxiety and OCD have only been exacerbated by the pressures of middle school. Maggie is an avid tabletop gamer who relies on her trusty D20 die to navigate life's difficult choices. But what happens when she can't roll the right numbers?
  "JUST ROLL WITH IT aims to open a dialogue about mental health for young readers and give them some terminology to help navigate talking about it," said Agarwal in a statement. "I was inspired by Svetlana Chmakova's 'Berry Brook Middle School' series (Awkward / Brave / Crush) that highlights issues kids deal with but doesn't belittle them. I wanted this story to be something that shows how a lot of us live alongside our anxiety, and that the end goal of one's mental health journey doesn't have to be 'fixing' yourself, but rather becoming the best version of you, anxiety and all."
  "It was important for us to reflect the world we live in—from diversity of body size, race, sexuality, etc, to diversity of how we take in the world around us," added Durfey-Lavoie. "We wanted to make characters that were serious, goofy, afraid, silly, and who reflected all the wacky and wonderful aspects of being in middle school. We wanted the book to reflect our own experience: that mental illness can be scary and difficult, but it isn't insurmountable, and the ones you love can help you through it."
  Just Roll With It is available for preorder now and will be released through Random House Graphic on Tuesday, December 14.
  If you haven't already, be sure to check out IGN's nominees for the best comic book series or original graphic novel of 2021.