favey five: graphic novels
superior vibes
Sheets by Brenna Thummler
I intentionally didn’t say ‘in no particular order’ for this favey five because this is my favourite graphic novel of all time.
We follow Marjorie and Wendell as they strike up an unlikely friendship, unlikely because Wendell is a ghost. From its gorgeously calming art style to its gut-wrenchingly poignant message, this story is utterly transcendent. I spent the entire book completely immersed, only coming back to reality after a good few minutes of *digesting* what I’d read. Thummler’s prose and beautiful artwork will leave you feeling emotionally ravaged, fucking grateful and filled with intense hope.
back to my queer agenda
Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez
With mouth-watering depictions of delicious food and an adorable romance sprinkled throughout, the vibes of this debut graphic novel are immaculate. The art style is uniquely beautiful, and the characters are extremely well-developed for such a short story. We follow Ben as he stumbles his way through a chef job that he was too desperate to turn down, but soon kind of wants more than anything. Reading this gave me so much joy and I connected with and loved all the characters so deeply. Light in tone and easy to follow, this one’s very accessible if you’re new to the graphic novel format.
most wholesome message
The Sad Ghost Club by Lize Meddings
This beautifully illustrated graphic novel truly warmed the cockles of my cold, anxious heart. Meddings' depiction of that teeny window of chaotic hope between feeling at your lowest and realising you're not (and have never been) alone was just immaculate. I've honestly never felt so seen in my life while reading. To have my *anxiety voice* be in a real book with pages and a cover is so surreal and I'm lost for words. Also the sad ghosts are so adorable I literally CANNOT.
indie publishers are cool
Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier
This graphic novel is so incredibly sweet! Like the description suggests, it's perfect for fans of Check, Please! as the cutesy tone is very similar and of course the LGBTQ+ rep and commentary is present (and great!) in both. The art style is lovely and light with a great flow throughout, along with flawless character designs and facial expressions. The dialogue is realistic and witty and the characters themselves are precious (especially Annie, what an icon). The story is superb and completely transports you into a tangible, fully realised world. Big up Oni Press for continuously publishing such fabulous graphic novels (they also published Chef’s Kiss!).
making nonfic fun!
Sexuality, A Graphic Guide by Meg-John Barker
From another indie publisher, Icon Books, this guide is a perfect brain de-scrambler. It helps us to recognise and acknowledge what society gaslights us into feeling and encourages us instead to ask ourselves: how do I actually feel? Like, really though. In general, the book was punchy and concise, assigning one or two pages to a topic of conversation, but if a specific topic needed more space, it got it. I believe this to be a safe and positive guide to the modern idea of sexuality, with a specific focus on inclusivity and an empowering message of awareness and acceptance.
k love you bye
