Reviews: Gay/Queer Webcomics

Gay Webcomic Reviews; Category: Gay/Queer

These comics are thoughtful or meaningful contributions to queer webcomics, whether they tried to be or not.  Last *updated* 2/20/13.

*new!*The Young Protectors

• status: actively updating
• rating: 18+

Summary: A young gay man with fire superpowers is confronted by a sexy older villain- are his come-ons genuine or sinister?

Review: As we’ve seen with Artifice and other yaoi911 projects, we can expect good things from this story, along with a high and consistant level of artwork.  Despite the imprint, I’ve always felt that Yaoi911 titles were very little like yaoi and a lot more like gay-colored industry comics, which I think is fantastic because it comes with a lot less baggage.

*new!* Prince of Cats

• status: actively updating
• rating: 16+

Summary: Two teenage boys try to repair their broken relationship after coming out to one another and while preparing for life after highschool.  One of the boys has the power to talk to cats, but why and how?

Review:  Yes, this is MY comic.  I wouldn’t have put it here except for the fact that I keep getting suggestions to read it!  So here it is.  I think it’s good.  You’ll probably think it’s good if you so far find my taste in webcomics to be good.

Ignition Zero 

• Status: actively updating
• Rating: PG

Summary: Two asexual teens, Robbie and Orson, met on the internet, like many teens do in the 2000s.  Robbie attends a university in Orson’s hometown, and discovers that the town is a hotbed of fairies and monsters and all kinds of magic and mystery that he is immediately swept up in.

Review: Painted in watercolor, IgZ is a treat for the eyes, and doubles unapologetically as an encyclopedia of sex and gender others wrapped in a modern-day fantasy story.  Totally beautiful and creative, it focuses more on the fantasy adventures than the romance, but don’t let that discourage you: Robbie and Orson are adorable, and even more adorable together.

14 Nights

• Status: Actively updating
• Rating: NC-17

Summary: An emotionally curt amputee and a divorcee afraid of sex fall in love.  Together, they attempt to work through the issues keeping the latter from enjoying sex.

Review: 14N can be hard to access for those used to shiny, pretty yaoi- it’s dark and heavy and is not full of beautiful people- it is full of real people.  That said, it’s a gorgeous break from the usual world of the gay webcomics and has become one of my favorites.  The art is developing and experimental, but solid.  The characters are sympathetic and amazing.

Artifice

• Status: Complete
• Rating: 18+

Summary:  An advanced android’s experience with a homosexual prisoner, as told from his doctor’s psych chair.

Review:  Gorgeous artwork at home with a fascinating story.  It has a million red flags of cliché, but in the end, subverts them all.  It is wholly unique, a fabulously built universe, and features an absorbing main character- even if he is artificial.

The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal

• Status: Actively Updating
• Rating: 18+

Summary: Amal’s got the car and TJ’s got the gas money.  The two strangers set out across the country, and get to know one another quite well.

Review:  This pencil drawn comic is beautiful.  The characterization and writing is real and whimsical and absolutely delicious.  The story is immediately absorbing, even if not much is actually happening (but that’s clear in the title, then, isn’t it?)  A fun ride, with some fabulously sexy scenes later on. Some absolutely expertly creative pages litter throughout. One of my favorites.

Tripping Over You

• Status: Actively Updating
• Rating: PG-13

Summary: Boarding school adventures with the not-yet-a-couple oddcouple.

Review:  An adorable story with highly lovable characters- not just the alpha couple, but the secondary characters as well (Archie is quite adorable!)  The artwork is improving rapidly, but starts out a little shaky.  Very engaging.  The awkwardness and tension is written very well, and the alliances are very much like high school always felt.

Always Raining Here

• Status: Actively Updating
• Rating: Teen and Up

Summary: A very forward gay highschooler searches for sex, finds love.

Review: This is a fun and relaxed story with a fun and relaxed style of art and writing.  The main character is a refreshingly straightforward kind of guy– completely oblivious to the fact that he is performing his own personality.   You’ll fall in love with these kids and their banter instantly. Set in the mysterious land of Canada!

Mahou Shounen Fight!

• Status: Actively Updating
• Rating: PG

Summary: Boy acquires magic powers, transformation, and elemental mascot.  Joins a band of other elementally magic teenagers to save the earth or something…

Review:  A premise that was bound to happen sooner or later, this is the story of a magical boy.  The artwork is polished but still young, and the writing is a bit weak, but it may just be a parody of the maho shoujo standard (unfortunately, it’s hard to tell the intention.)  But a secondary character in the clan is a very sweet gay boy that you root for absolutely immediately.  I want more of him.

Doki Doki Checkmate

• Status: Actively Updating
• Rating: PG

Summary: A mercenary prince is sent on a mission to kill the beloved prince of another kingdom.  Unfortunately for him, the happy prince has been expecting him, and totally wants to make out.  Maybe it’s fortunately after all?

Review: No idea how this comic eluded me for so long, as it is absolutely precious.  Cute, fun art and a sweet and silly story, this is gay fun for everyone.  The characters are precious and the story, for all it’s lightness, is engaging.  Did I mention it’s incapacitatingly adorable?

The Element of Surprise

• Status: Actively Updating
• Rating: 18+

Summary: Working man comes to new town, rescues a reporter, falls in love.

Review:  Somewhat weak in both art and writing, this comic is entertaining none-the-less, and features Conversations of Denial With Penis, one of my favorite gags.  The world is not deeply built, but the falling-in-love part is nice and solid and satisfying.  Good for a fix.

Honeydew Syndrome

• Status: Complete
• Rating: Teen and up

Summary:  Boys falling in love with boys they didn’t think they’d ever fall in love with?

Review: I had a difficult time following this comic.  The art sometimes leaves you wondering which character you’re actually looking at, and the story is a little flailing. The first arc is cute but predictable (the characters almost fully formed, but not quite), and after that, it descends into time jumping and beta-couple developing that is hard to understand.  But it has quite a following, and is often recommended (so maybe it’s just not to my taste?)

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