Read this powerful comic about witches and transphobia inspired by the Mountain Goats

"Heretic Pride" is the third track of the Mountain Goat's 2008 album of the same name — both of which allegedly take their name from the lyrics of the song "Black Deluge Night" by Norwegian black metal band Aura Noir:

Soaring demons now swarm the skies
In awe and heretic pride

The song itself describes a scene that sounds a helluva lot like a witch burning, which creates a powerful juxtaposition with its refrain:

And I feel so proud to be alive
And I feel so proud when the reckoning arrives

Inspired by this triumphant anthem, comic artist/writer Leslie took the lyrics from the song and used them as the script to a short comic book about a crowd who tries to burn a transgender witch to death … only to find her literally transformed in the fire. In my most humble opinion: it's pretty effing powerful.

Images used here with permission, and a quick heads-up: maybe a bit NSFW, and also content warning for depictions of violence against queer people.