Tombstone: The Superhero of the West

Tombstone: The Superhero of the West brings to life the adolescent journey of Morgan, a transgender person (born as a male who identifies as a female) finding her truth in the 1860-70s. Growing up with two sisters, a stereotypically masculine dad, and a loving mother, Morgan always felt something about her identity and sexuality didn’t feel right. Perpetually confused about why she feels the way she does and why she likes certain things. In this eye-opening, insightful read, author Missy M exquisitely explores the innocent musings and journey of an adolescent who just wants to live her truth without worrying about disappointing her family and crossing swords with society. Initially, Morgan innocently questions gender stereotypes—why should having a particular body part make you enjoy a certain activity less?—and we get insight into her inner battles and conflicts. Since Morgan thrives on education, she turns to books for answers. Later in the story, through heroic adventures, we see how her knowledge comes in handy, which helps her family view her in a new light and thus become more accepting of who she truly is. This beautifully written story has captured the inner voice of an adolescent coming to terms with her gender and sexuality. As a cisgender, I genuinely believe people who don’t respect gender identity and sexuality as struggles could really learn a thing or two from the author’s narrative of Morgan’s journey. However, I thought some musings and insights were repeated in the book, for example, her sadness about her father not accepting her and her confusion regarding why she liked the things Jenny did. Nonetheless, intrigue is born in the first chapter, which Waldron keeps ignited throughout the book. I’ll definitely be picking up the second book to get more insight into the life of the LGBTQ+ community in the 19th century. While this novel follows the journey of an LGBT young adult, this novel contains language that I think is better suited for an adult audience. Containing mature language and provocative scenes, I think this book is appropriate for mature readers. Tombstone: The Superhero of the West is a captivating story combining stories of the old west with contemporary issues revolving around gender identity and gender stereotypes. This work of fiction will give readers a new look at a common story while opening their minds to non-traditional viewpoints.