The Best New LGBTQIA Comics and Graphic Novels

Trans nonbinary kid Ash is hurt when their family won’t embrace their new name and pronouns. Convinced they’ll be happiest alone, Ash runs off to search for a secluded cabin in the California woods that they’re convinced their grandfather built before he passed, a cabin they used to dream about living in together. But when faced with real solitude in the wilderness, Ash must reconsider where they truly belong. It’s a beautiful and deeply moving graphic novel by Jen Wang, creator of The Prince and the Dressmaker.

For a queer regency romantic YA romp, check out Hari Conner’s I Shall Never Fall in Love. George is trying to explore their nonbinary identity in a society that loves binaries. Eleanor is falling in love with George while also trying to find her own path through societal expectations. Meanwhile, Eleanor’s cousin Charlotte faces a difficult decision about marrying for security and status or marrying for love. Drawing inspiration from the works of Jane Austen, it’s a delightful historical graphic novel with a cast you can’t help but fall in love with.

Aya can’t keep her eyes off the cute guy who works at her neighborhood CD shop. She’s so obvious about her crush that Mitsuki, a girl who sits at the desk near Aya in class, can’t help but notice. The twist? Mitsuki is actually the “guy” at the CD store. Although she doesn’t want to embarrass Aya, Mitsuki can’t resist getting to know Aya a little better. The miscommunication makes for an absolutely delightful queer manga love story.

What’s a group of teenagers to do at the end of the world (brought about by zombie squirrels) but document it? Dressed in hazmat suits, four friends set off on an adventure to film their strange existence following an apocalyptic attack by undead squirrels. Amidst the chaos, they’re just young people trying to find joy and purpose. With a diverse queer cast and a quirky sense of humor, this is an unforgettable dystopian coming-of-age graphic novel.

The first two volumes of the hit paranormal noir Webtoon Covenant are now collected in print for the first time. In a demon-filled world, exorcist Ezra is sent on a mission to protect seemingly normal human Sunny, who has a dark past and a potentially dangerous future. Sunny and Ezra couldn’t be more different, which makes working together to fight demons a challenge. With supernatural thrills, a nuanced exploration of religion, and a slow-burn queer romance, Covenant is a layered story that will grab you right from the start.

Nicole Maines is an actress, writer, and trans activist who played the role of Dreamer on DC’s Supergirl TV show. Now, Maines has written a graphic novel about the character she played. Nia Nal comes from a family with powers to envision the future through dreams, but it’s Nia’s older sister Maeve who’s set to inherit the gift for their generation. When Nia takes a kickball to the face and starts having strange dreams, it shakes her entire family to the core. Gorgeously illustrated by Rye Hickman, it’s a creative addition to the Supergirl lore.

Iconic queer indie pop music duo Tegan and Sara got personal with their first graphic novel, Junior High, in which they fictionalized their own childhoods in Canada as identical twins, discovering their own voices and their love of music. In the sequel, Crush, Tegan and Sara have to balance a big opportunity in a battle-of-the-bands contest and their band’s fast-growing popularity with the drama of being eighth graders, from fighting with BFFs to heart-wrenching crushes. Illustrated by Tillie Walden, a queer artist and creator of the graphic novel Spinning, Crush is a poignant and moving follow-up to Junior High.

Djuna Barnes was a revolutionary queer writer and artist and the author of the 1936 lesbian classic Nightwood, but her contributions to literary history have largely gone unrecognized. Graphic novelist Jon Macy has unearthed her remarkable life story in Djuna, a biography told in comics. From growing up in a polyamorous family on Long Island to her heyday among literary greats in 1920s Paris to the homophobic reactions to her work, it’s a beautiful and fascinating exploration of a notable queer writer.