My Favorite Queer Comics and Queer Creators
6 recommendations for queer comedy, art, and critical analysis
6 recommendations for queer comedy, art, and critical analysis
I do everything in comics: I understand myself and others through creating and reading stories, I use comic humor to see the positive side of things, and most recently I came out by publishing this comic above. And now is the time to share with you my favorite queer content, including comics of course, but also some comedy and critical analysis of queer media.
1. Heartstopper (Comic and TV show)
My complete immersion in queer media started with Heartstopper, so it is only fair that it occupies the first spot on my list. Ever since the TV show came out last year, I have been telling all my friends to go and watch it. You can also see in this post from last year how much I was in love with Heartstopper.
Why LGBTQ+ Teen Shows Are So Satisfying To Watch
3 reasons why LGBTQ+ romance on screen is less cheesy and more relatable than straight romance storiesmedium.com
Heartstopper is a Netflix show and a graphic novel by Alice Oseman (you can read it for free on Tapas and Webtoon). It follows the journey of Charlie and Nick, who are just the most adorable couple we have seen in media in a long time. Heartstopper is a beautiful heartwarming story of coming out, love, and friendship, and it’s difficult to accurately describe with words why it is all those things. But believe me when I say it is and go watch it and read it!
2. Les Normaux (Comic)
I am currently obsessed with this comic. As soon as I saw the first episode of Les Normaux on Tapas, I immediately fell in love with it. The drawing style and the coloring are so beautiful that it almost feels like you are in Paris with the characters.
To quote their Twitter account, Les Normaux is “a romcom LGBTQA+ webcomic about a bunch of supernatural beings living in supernatural Paris”. This alone should be enough to entice you!
The story is very queer of course, and the characters feel so alive. To the point where I literally feel attracted to some of them! The story is equal parts sexy, sweet, and insightful. And the supernatural elements are very cute and make the story that much more interesting. A real treat in every aspect!
You can find this comic on Tapas and follow the creators here: https://lesnormaux.carrd.co/.
3. Fran Meneses (Artist and content creator)
Fran Meneses is a queer artist who I first started following on Instagram for her amazing short comics which I find extremely funny, relatable, and beautifully drawn.
Fran also has a YouTube channel where she talks about her lifestyle and art, and sometimes her queer journey. It’s a very wholesome channel and it will definitely make you feel good.
Fran Meneses
Brooklyn based queer latina illustrator : - )www.youtube.com
If you want any more convincing to follow Fran, I should mention I like Fran’s work so much that I am going to participate in her Workshop on Visual Narrative and Creative Writing this year! I’m so hyped about that :)
4. Verilybitchie (YouTube channel)
Verilybitchie is the only YouTube channel for which I have my notifications turned on. Giving away my peace from notifications is huge in my book, but Verilybitchie deserves it because I want to see her videos as soon as they come out. The video essays on this YouTube channel are pure perfection.
verilybitchie
I'm Verity Ritchie (they/she) and I make videos, usually with Ada Černoša (she). Glossary: I use "Bi" to mean…www.youtube.com
Every video is a deep dive into a critical analysis of mainstream media, often focusing on queer representation in media. Once again I find myself at a loss for words in explaining what makes these videos so good. They are insightful, honest, and bullsh*t-free. I like them so much that I didn’t stop disliking the channel even when Verilybitchie slightly criticized Heartstopper for being too sweet and positive (how can anything be too sweet??).
5. Alexander Avila (YouTube channel)
Alexander Avila’s channel is also all about long video essays on the critical analysis of discourse, media, and everything queer. The videos are very insightful and unbiased, while providing a hint of humor in every single argument, which makes them super entertaining. A perfect treat to accompany you on a commute or while eating a very long queer breakfast (guilty!).
Alexander Avila
Social analysis... but gay?youtube.com
6. Mae Martin (Comedian)
I watched Feel Good, a Netflix show, created by Mae Martin some time ago and I really liked it for its dark humor and the queer storyline. The events in the story feel so real: the struggle with mental health, coming out, and finding your own gender expression are all very relatable and yet unique in the way they are presented in the show. Later I learned that at least some of the aspects of the story are based on Mae’s autobiographical experiences.
Recently I discovered Mae Martin as a stand-up comedian in their Netflix special “Sap”. The show was so funny in every aspect and it really touches the same cord of existential-slightly-dark-but-ending-on-a-positive-note kind of humor that really vibes with me. Don’t watch the trailer, it doesn’t do it justice, just go straight to “Sap” and you won’t be disappointed. You can also follow Mae on Instagram and Twitter.
(And also, Mae is super cute. I had to put that out there…)
If you want to see my art and comics as I make them, sign up for my newsletter Ana’s Comics on anakrajinovic.substack.com (no account needed to sign up) and follow my comics on Tapas or Instagram!
Thanks for sharing, completely new to me. Will certainly help to better understand the LGBTQ+ world.