10 Classic Queer Indie Comics Every Gay Geek Should Read
| 11/13/23
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The comic scene wouldn't be the same without these queer reads!
Fantagraphics, Drawn & Quarterly, Random House Graphic
Whether it's on the page or on the screen, there is nothing we love more than seeing our lives reflected in art. These queer comics helped build the base for our favorites today!
The Magic Fish
Random House Graphic
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen became a fast classic with the way it intersects queerness alongside the ideas of immigration, family, and fairy tales. Even though it's one of the newer ones on the list, all the kids who read it will be inspired to create graphic novels about fairy tales and their identities once they're finished.
The Contradictions
Drawn & Quarterly
Sophie Yanow's The Contradictions is aimed at older readers, more in the teen-plus range. The story follows the character Sophie on her expedition through France to be abroad, learn about life, and have sex. There's a meloncholy look at what it's like to build queer relationships, especially in your 20s when your identity starts to become so pivotal.
Love and Rockets
Fantagraphics
As one of the first comic books in the alternative comics movement of the 1980s, Hernandez brothers Gilbert, Jaime, and Mario gave us Love and Rockets, a comic book series that makes the intrinsic nature of queerness all the more vital. The messy characters at the center derived from the LA punk scene of the late 1970s. The series has been published since 1982 and has a plethora of issues in its backlog for endless entertainment.
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
This comic by Alison Bechdel (of the famous Bechdel Test that points out sexism in movies) explores the complicated relationship she had with her father, a closeted gay man, as she explores her own coming out. The art is simple and rich, and the comic (in addition to winning many awards) has also been turned into a Tony Award-winning musical of the same name.
The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green
This comic ran for 15 years starting in 1989 and explored the day-to-day life of Ethan Green. Ethan works as a personal assistant, and the slice-of-life comic followed the shenanigans as he balances his love life and work. The comic was originally syndicated in queer publications, but now you can find it on Amazon, or check out some highlights here!
Come Out Comix
While author Mary Wings is better known as a novelist, this comic was groundbreaking in being the first to showcase lesbians. The one-issue book follows Wings' own experience coming out as a lesbian and was published in 1974. The art is a bit rough, but the story is from the heart and an interesting piece of queer and comic history.
Gay Comix
Gay Comix was an anthology of comics, created primarily by lesbians and gay men, that ran from 1980-1998. It was one of the first and longest-running queer anthologies of its time, and many of the queer comics artist in this list got their start here. While the subject matters ranged wildly, they often featured the stories of the artist, as well as the real-life stories of those they knew.
Wimmen’s Comix
While not just for queer comics, this underground woman’s comic contained the first comic to have an out lesbian as a main character (in Trina Robbins' "Sandy Comes Out" feature in issue one). While not only queer, issues of sexuality were featured prominetly along with politics and feminism. The comic was one of the first places to focus on women getting paid comic work in a male-dominated industry.
Meatmen: An Anthology of Gay Male Comics
This is a way sexier of an anthology then the predecessors on this list, focusing mainly on porn and gag comics. Since publication ran from 1986 to 2004, this series is not only one of the longest-running queer comics ever, it also features work by a huge amount of gay male comic artists. Definitely be ready for some steamy content if you are looking for this one!
Dykes to Watch Out For
This strip is the second and most landmark entry on this list from Alison Bechdel. This ongoing comic is the longest-running queer comic strip, and where the Bechdel Test actually comes from (and has deeper context about how it relates to lesbians.) The comic follows a group of primarily queer woman making it through their daily life, and varies from very mundane to very dramatic plot lines. You can read it here or grab the books!
