I’ve been reading lot’s more comics recently, both for work as I continue to develop two seperate comics courses for middle and high schoolers, but also for personal pleasure. I’ll still do bigger reviews for comics that I want to dig a bit more deeply into, but for now enjoy a pre-Thanksgiving meal of some (mostly) light and fun comics.
Inconsequential history facts can be a ton of fun. Apparently in the 1910s, the US government considered importing hippos as a new source of meat during food shortages. If the cocaine hippos of Columbia (and really any other invasive species) have taught us anything, it likely would have been a horrible idea with lots of downstream consequences. Thankfully, that world didn’t come to be, but it did result in a set of novellas and short stories by Sarah Gailey reimagining this possible history, blended with some Western set dressing, which was a premise too intriguing to pass up. I ended up liking River of Teeth (novella #1) quite a bit, but was mostly disappointed by Taste of Marrow (novella #2).
Read if Looking for: bloodthirsty hippos, tropey characters, criminal crews totally not breaking the law, a queernormative American history, relaxed reads
Avoid if Looking for: thought-out alternate histories, meaningful Western elements, consistent characterization
I’m all about unapologetically queer books, and The Chromatic Fantasy definitely fits that brief. This book isn’t a tour-de-force on the trans experience, but it’s an extremely fun romp a book with great art that didn’t disappoint in the slightest. I need to wait a week or two to see if this has the emotional staying power to crack my top 10 of the year, but I think it’s got a pretty good shot.
Read if Looking For: tricksters and thieves, anachronism and whimsy, more color than a chameleon at a rave
Avoid if Looking For: fully coherent plots, historical accuracy (or even consistency in the intensity of historical inaccuracies), memorable villains, books without nudity
A Mexican horror novel following a ship captain of a ship transporting vampires, playing off elements of Dracula (which I haven’t read). It’s an excellent translation, and a dip into the more Literary side of horror than I normally go for. This was a good reminder of why I was a bad English major in college, and why genre fiction is my happy place over Literature. However, I’m glad I read this, and I think it’s much better at engaging with vampires’ historic associations with queerness in interesting ways than most other queer vampire books I’ve read.
Read if Looking For: intense focus on internal monologue, dream sequences, horror of the unseen, prose like liquid silk
Avoid if Looking For: direct plot or prose, ethical gays, paranormal romance elements, cute rats, protagonists who don’t sexually harass people, vampires with major speaking roles
The City of Spires has been on my radar for a while as a great example of what ambitious queer representation can look like. It’s also gotten nods as the modern inheritor to Swordspoint, the seminal Fantasy of Manners book with pioneering queer rep in the 80s. I ended up not loving the book, but I see the appeal and am intrigued to continue at some point in the future. But if you’re looking for a queer ensemble cast, I can’t think of something better than this.
Read if Looking For: many queer identities in one book, ethically upright protagonists, sadistic villains, impassioned monologues
Avoid if Looking For: deep characterization, flashy magic, political maneuvering
When celebrities announce that they’re coming out with a book – a book in one of my favorite genres no less – I tend to get skeptical. Bob the Drag Queen is a phenomenal comedian, performer, and entertainer. That does not make her a good author necessarily. Still, at only 233 pages and narrated by Bob herself, it wasn’t difficult to throw a library hold at this book and tackle it over a weekend of deep cleaning. This book is no masterpiece, but it was solid, entertaining, and blended modern queer struggles with lessons on slavery in a way I hope others emulate. Also, how I could I not pick up a book called Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert? It’s definitely on the short list for best title of the year so far.
Read if Looking For: middle aged queer leads, music performances (in the audiobook), self-liberation, a broad range of stories from history
Avoid if Looking For: deep historical analysis, Bob’s comedic persona, romance plotlines
This is a book that’s been in my classroom library for a while. It hasn’t been super popular unfortunately, likely because it looks a little to realistic for kids who are browsing in the fantasy section of my library. When a kid had rave reviews for it, however, it was easy to give it a try. Frontera is a quick and emotional read. Immigration is a topic that affects pretty much any country in the world, but Frontera’s relevance is strongest to those living in Mexico and the US. At a brisk 240 pages, it won’t take too much of your time either!
Read if Looking For: immigrant narratives, heartfelt characters, badass cats, angsty teens that feel realistic
Avoid if Looking For: tightly plotted stories, lots of speculative elements, romance storylines
Along with Nightrunner and Swordspoint, Magic’s Pawn serves as one of the foundations of gay male representation in the fantasy boom in the 80s and 90s. Apparently, this is the year where I finally got around to reading the classics of queer men in the genre I love so dearly. While Swordspoint and Nightrunner had some issues, I found them largely interesting and engaging reads worthy of their place in the cannon. Magic’s Pawn however, I struggled immensely with. I kept listening out of a desperate desire that it would return to the heights of its opening chapters. Unfortunately, I thought this novel was a bit of a mess. I deeply appreciate Lackey for helping to pave the way for greater queer representation, but it isn’t a series I plan on returning to.
Read if You Like: examples of early gay representation in epic fantasy, magic horses, tortured protagonists, instalove
Avoid if you Dislike: graphic suicide attempts, convincing love stories, emotional depth, consistent tone in writing
It’s been a while since I read a good batch of comics, but ever since I picked up Fables and Abott the urge has been growing in me. While Queer graphic novels are having a real moment right now – and I should probably do some writeups of my favorites – most of the ones I read are for my teaching job. I’m lucky enough to have two comics electives on my rotation (one middle school, and one high school) which keep me fairly busy. Stud didn’t seem like a safe bet for a school-purchase, so it took a lot longer for me to get around to this fabulous looking comic. At 144 pages, it’s tough for me to find reasons to not recommend something as quick and fun as Stud and the Bloodblade.
Read if You Like: Corny superhero vibes, the intersection of satire and seriousness, He-Man references,
Avoid if You Dislike: American Superhero story structures and art style, lack of emotional depth, plots that aren’t airtight, quirky character designs
For more examples of the art, see the bottom of this post.
Continue reading “Stud and the Bloodblade”Price of a Thousand Blessings was one of my most anticipated books coming out this year. Fantasy with a focus of the fantastic, a gay lead who isn’t totally consumed by a romance plotline, and an appealing cover. It didn’t quite hit the heights I was hoping for, but I’ve already purchased the sequel, and this is exactly the type of story I wish traditional publishing were willing to pick up more often.
Read if Looking For: a serious take at a magitech world, reincarnation elements, epic(ish) fantasy with a m/m subplot, secret police pulling the strings
Avoid if You Dislike: slow pacing, characters in denial about their crushes, obvious twists that protagonists refuse to see
Marked for Plot 