Hardcore Happiness: A Graphic Journey to Find Punk's Positivity

When you listen and scream along to your favorite punk or hardcore band, does that help your mental health or reinforce your frustrations? Artist Reid Chancellor leads us on a tour through hardcore musicians that have struggled with mental health--and written about it in their songs. In this standalone graphic novel, Chancellor picks up the discussion he began in Hardcore Anxiety, in an engaging narrative that will be deeply relatable to anyone grappling with identity, fear, and loss in the mosh pit. If you're considering supplementing your headbanging sessions with therapy and medication, or if you just want to read about the music scene you love from a unique angle, Hardcore Happiness can help you find your way. Punk opens the door to speaking out about mental health issues, but it doesn't always encourage you to walk through the door and get help. Chancellor props that door open with humor and vulnerability, asking the question, "Why aren't there more hardcore songs about seeing your therapist?" That's a song we all might need to hear.

Format: Paperback | Pages: 192 | Publication Date: 2025-06-03