This batch features a haunted camera, an autobio manga about non-binary identity, a tale of four Minneapolis queers after they’ve made the rough transition from their halcyon twenties into their “dirty thirties”, a high school love triangle, and a new horror mystery from Magdalene Visaggio and Jenn St-Onge.
LIGHT CARRIES ON HC
(W) Ray Nadine (A/CA) Ray Nadine
When Leon's camera unexpectedly breaks, he is forced to borrow a used one from his mom's antique store. As he snaps the first picture, the ghost of the camera's former owner is released and the two are inexplicably linked. After taking Leon's body for an accidental joy ride, the ghost introduces himself as Cody, a queer punk rocker who died decades ago. Of course, he doesn't remember how he wound up dead but the two decide investigating might be the only way to end the haunting.
Cartoonist Ray Nadine (Station Six, Raise Hell, Messenger) has created an unmissable graphic novel that balances out themes of trauma, grief, and toxic relationships with radical empathy, queer joy, and healing.
o LGBTQ romance from well-known queer comics creator, Ray Nadine.
NOV220477
Why this caught my eye:
Popped up on my radar last year through a few different articles.
XGENDER GN VOL 01
(W) Asuka Miyazaki
At thirty-three years old, Asuka Miyazaki realizes that they like women! Asuka, however, is neither a woman nor a man-instead, they're X-gender, (a non-binary identity). Follow Asuka through the pages of this autobiographical manga as they record the ins and outs of their journey to finding love with a woman. APR222160
XGENDER GN VOL 02
(W) Asuka Miyazaki
Asuka is neither a woman nor a man-they're X-gender (a non-binary identity)-and they've realized they like women! Okay, now what? Adult films are fun to watch, but real sex is less appealing. Would having a penis make that better or worse? Periods already suck, and sex means more fluids from more people! This autobiographical manga follows Asuka's feelings about their body, their relationships, and the fun (and sometimes terrible) experience of having an awakening in their thirties.
DEC221989
Why these caught my eye:
Educational autobio mangas don't pop up too often and this looks cute.
MIMOSA GN
(W) Archie Bongiovanni (A) Archie Bongiovanni
Best friends and chosen family Chris, Elise, Jo, and Alex work hard to keep themselves afloat. Their regular brunches hold them together even as the rest of their lives threaten to fall apart. The crew decides to put on a new queer event called Grind-specifically for homos in their dirty thirties. Grind is a welcome distraction from their real problems: after a messy divorce, Chris adjusts to being a single parent while struggling to reconnect to their queer community. Elise is caught between feelings for her boss and the career of her dreams. Jo tries to navigate the murky boundaries of being a supportive friend and taking care of her own needs. And Alex is guarding a secret that might change his friendships forever. This chosen family proves that being messy doesn't always go away with age.
JAN231148
Why this caught my eye:
Quick review over at Comics Beat here.
BELLE OF THE BALL HC GN
(W) Mari Costa (A) Mari Costa
A YA graphic novel about high-school wallflower Belle Hawkins, who ends up in a love triangle after tutoring the girlfriend of her crush.
High-school senior and notorious Hawkins finally works up the courage to remove her mascot mask and ask out her longtime crush: Regina Moreno, head cheerleader, academic overachiever, and all-around popular girl. There's only one teensy little problem: Regina is already dating Chloe Kitagawa, athletic all-star . . . and middling English student. Regina sees a perfectly self-serving opportunity here, and asks the smitten Hawkins to tutor Chloe free of charge, knowing Hawkins will do anything to get closer to her.
And while Regina's plan works at first, she doesn't realize that Hawkins and Chloe knew each other as kids, when Hawkins went by Belle and wore princess dresses to school every single day. Before long, romance does start to blossom, but not between whom you might expect.
JAN231539
Why this caught my eye:
Costa's artwork is pretty adorable.
OJJA WOJJA HC GN
(W) Magdalene Visaggio (A) Jenn St-Onge
Welcome to Bolingbroke. It's a small town just like any other . . . or so eighth graders Val and Lanie think. They're the best of best friends-they love the same comics, they watch the same shows, and they're always there for each other. Which is important when you're queer, like Lanie, or on the spectrum, like Val, and just don't seem to fit in anywhere.
When a school project about their hometown's supernatural history leads to a for-real ghost sighting, Val and Lanie realize Bolingbroke might not be as boring as they'd always thought. But after a run-in with the resident middle school queen bee (who also happens to be Lanie's former friend), they decide to take things to the next level . . . and accidentally summon the Ojja-Wojja, a demonic presence connected to a slew of mysterious tragedies throughout Bolingbroke's sordid history.
Now all heck has broken loose. With the whole town acting weird and nowhere left to turn, it's going to be up to Val, Lanie, and their small group of friends to return things to normal-if "normal" is even something they want to return to.
JAN231363
Why this caught my eye:
First, Visaggio and St-Onge are awesome. Second, the cover blurb 'A Horror-Mystery, or Whatever' gets all the points since every thing is every genre these days.
That's it for this batch, we'll hit up some horror material on the next round!
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