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Beyond: The Queer Sci-Fi and Fantasy Comic Anthology Cover
Title: Beyond: The Queer Sci-Fi and Fantasy Comic Anthology
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Black and White
Romanciness: LGBTQ+ Elements
Tags: sci-fi fantasy anthology gay lesbian character of color creator of color queer
Where to Buy or Read:

Buy it here!

Synopsis from the Creator:

In both sci-fi and fantasy and comics there is a long history of allegorical and implied queerness—using the trappings of genre to code characters and themes as queer while keeping them superficially straight enough to not make waves, or queering them in ways tied to their general otherness (like gender-flexible shapeshifters or gay aliens from single-sex species). Queer representation is better now than it was in even the recent past, but we want more. We want to see people like us as heroes—slaying dragons, piloting spaceships, getting into trouble, and saving the day—without having to read their queerness from between the lines. We want to see beautifully crafted stories in the mediums and genres we love, that reflect and celebrate our own experiences of gender and sexuality. So we’ve decided to do it ourselves. We’re assembling, crowdfunding, and publishing an anthology of the comics we want to read: science fiction and fantasy exploring and showcasing queer characters, themes, and relationships, from a broad spectrum of world-class creators. Beyond is a black-and-white comic anthology of 18 original science fiction and fantasy comics. The first volume was successfully crowdfunded through Kickstarter and completed in 2015, and the second volume: post-apocalypse and urban fantasy edition is taking shape in 2016. -Sfé Monster, Editor

(Volume 2 reached funding today, 5/11/17!)


Boy, I Love You Cover
Title: Boy, I Love You
Creators: Format: Print
Color: Black and White
Romanciness: Definitely a Romance
Tags: gay anthology
Where to Buy or Read:

Order from The Yam Fam Directly

Synopsis from the Creator:

Boy, I Love You is a comics anthology celebrating the boys' love genre. Seven stories from seven creators will introduce you to radio hosts, models, mecha pilots, & scientists, and the challenges they’ll face at the intersection of life & love. Boy, I Love You features the work of Aatmaja Pandya, Kou Chen, Shivana Sookdeo, Emily Forster, Marlena Konglau, Eric Alexander Arroyo, and S.M. Vidaurri, with a cover by Caelin Cacciatore.


Can I Pet Your Werewolf? Cover
Title: Can I Pet Your Werewolf?
Creators: Format: EBook
Color: Black and White
Romanciness: Romantic Elements
Heat: PG13
Tags: fantasy paranormal anthology
Synopsis from the Creator:

A different take on those who get fluffy under a full moon. This is a collection of goofy, cute, and sweet werewolf stories. A black and white, 160 page book of comics. It includes work by:

  • Kel McDonald
  • Meredith McClaren
  • Rhinnon RS
  • Melanie Ujimori
  • Molly Muldoon
  • Alina Pete
  • Zach Lehner
  • Rashad Doucet
  • Seanan McGuire
  • Monica Gallagher
  • Caitlin Like
  • Mariah McCourt
  • Aliz Fernández
  • Kendra Wells
  • Nilah Magruder
  • Sophie Goldstein
  • Shauna Grant
  • Cat Farris
  • Aud Koch

Cover art by Melanie Ujimori

Love In Panels' Review:

Werewolf stories tend to be about men turning into wolves and smashing things, which is all well and good, but it's nice to explore the soft underbelly of the myth every now and again. In CAN I PET YOUR WEREWOLF, Kel McDonald has collected a group of stories that range from teenage were-girls bonding with their mothers to a werewolf who transforms into a human when he comes out as gay.

As with most werewolf/shifter stories, several of these examine themes of transformation, acceptance, and found family. There are a few, however, that are purely fun. In one memorable example, a young woman is trying to help her partner figure out how to stop waking up naked and streaking home. They come up with a backpack solution. It's cute.

This is a light-hearted anthology that balances humor and love with some of the darker elements of traditional werewolf stories. While I didn't love every story in the book, it was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon and I suggest picking it up for a not-too-spooky full moon read.


Come Together: A European Anthology of Erotic Comics Cover
Title: Come Together: A European Anthology of Erotic Comics
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Romantic Elements
Heat: NSFW
Tags: straight queer trans nonbinary lesbian gay mm ff fnb erotic NSFW erotica anthology
Where to Buy or Read:

If you'd like to purchase a copy of Come Together, it's available directly here in PDF.

Synopsis from the Creator:

Come Together is an erotic anthology featuring a host of comic talents from all over Europe edited by Tab Kimpton and Alex Assan. Now available to buy post our kickstarter!

Our book's theme is Reunion; old friends sharing sizzling tension in a Finnish sauna, long distance lovers yearning for each other on a train ride to rural Italy, rival fashion designers clashing in battles of sexual prowess in Berlin, and more.  

196 pages and thirteen stories from many cultures and countries, covering a multitude of times, places, peoples and sexualities... In a world growing increasingly more divided, it's time to Come Together.  

Love In Panels' Review:

Review of Come Together


DATES: An Anthology of Queer Historical Fiction Stories Cover
Title: DATES: An Anthology of Queer Historical Fiction Stories
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Black and White
Romanciness: Romantic Elements
Heat: R
Tags: queer gay lesbian historical anthology
Where to Buy or Read:

Now that the Kickstarter is over and Vol. 1 has gone to print again, you can pick up Volume 1 and 2 in both print and digital. Buy 'em all here!

Synopsis from the Creator:

Dates is an anthology of queer historical fiction comics, Kickstarted in September and October of 2015 and published by Margins Publishing in February of 2016. When we started work on Dates, we wanted to create a book that showcases queer characters and experiences throughout the ages without being constrained by what a lot of media might have us believe is “historically accurate.” Since so much of historical fiction only features queer characters in the context of tragedy–if they appear at all–we were desperate for more stories. Stories that better represented the diversity of our experiences, in all the times and places that we’ve existed. Dates is a book that doesn’t rewrite history, but instead reframes it so that the spotlight is on people who are all too often ignored.In the first volume of Dates, we had three rules:

  • Stories must feature queer characters.
  • Stories must be 5-6 pages long.
  • No one could die.

Though our length requirement has changed, rules 1 and 3 are as central to Dates as they were when we launched the first book.

(Dates 2 is now through the Kickstarter process, you can see the campaign here.)

Love In Panels' Review:

Review based on Dates 1:

Cravats. Latin. Rope-walking. Androgyny. Pirates. Girls in gowns running away together. Boys and boys and girls and girls and people who don't identify any particular way... This book is hard to review because not only is it an anthology, the stories within span thousands of years of history, continents, empires, cultures... it's impossible to pin down. This is a good thing if you want short, sweet stories of love and adventure.

As with any anthology, if you're looking for a longer, cohesive narrative, this isn't the book for you. If you want something you can pick up and read for a bit? It's perfect. With 25 tales, the art and plots are as diverse as you'd expect. You won't love every piece, but I think you'd have to be a true curmudgeon not to find a few you like. As for queer rep? Lots of relationships and orientations are represented, and some of the characters are never "defined," which is as it should be.

Short review because the title says it all: Dates is an anthology of queer historical fiction. If that sounds like something you'd like, you should pick this up.

Read about Dates II here!


Embodied Cover
Title: Embodied
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Romantic Elements
Heat: R
Tags: queer nonbinary lesbian feminist transgender history of trauma poetry anthology
Where to Buy or Read:

If you'd like to purchase a copy of this book, please consider using one of these links to support the site:

 AmazonBarnes & NobleBookshop

Synopsis from the Creator:

Poetry and comics collide in this intersectional feminist anthology featuring twenty-one stories that explore the relationship between gender, identity and the body. A diverse array of award-winning contemporary poets and comic book artists who identify as cis women, trans, and non-binary, work together to create sequential art poems showcasing the relevance, urgency, and power of both genres.

Beautifully illustrated and bracingly written, EMBODIED is a memorable collaboration between cis female, trans, and non-binary poets and comics artists showcasing the power of both forms in a stunningly unique keepsake volume that will be treasured for ages.

Mystical, rooted, painful, joyous, and ecstatic; visions of the body, our genders, and our very identities from across the spectrum of contemporary poetry come together in this monumental intersectional feminist anthology where verse and comics unite in spectacular new ways.

Featuring poetry by national bestseller Maggie Smith, Pulitzer Prize finalist Diane Seuss, and National Endowment of the Arts fellowship recipients Kendra DeColo, Jennifer Givhan, Vanessa Angelica Villarreal, Kayleb Rae Candrilli, Ruth Awad, and Paul Tran.

This edition includes a study guide and a process art section.

A percentage of the proceeds will benefit International Women's Health Coalition.

Love In Panels' Review:

Review of Embodied


Fresh Romance Cover
Title: Fresh Romance
Creators: Color: Color
Romanciness: Romantic Elements
Heat: PG13
Tags: anthology gay straight queer young adult fantasy paranormal character of color creator of color
Where to Buy or Read:

Volume 1

Emet Comics (Digital)

Oni Press (Print)

Amazon

Volume 2

Emet Comics

Amazon

Synopsis from the Creator:

Fresh Romance, Vol. 1:

FRESH ROMANCE is an exciting collection of romance comics from some of comics' most talented creators, including Kate Leth, Arielle Jovellanos, Sarah Vaughn, Sarah Winifred Searle, Sarah Kuhn, Marguerite Bennett, and Trungles. From unhappy historical marriages to covert teenage romances, there's something for everyone in FRESH ROMANCE.

Fresh Romance, Vol. 2:

FRESH ROMANCE VOLUME 2 is an exciting collection of romance comics from some of comics' most talented creators, including Cecil Castellucci, Irene Koh, Sarah Winifred Searle, Sally Jane Thompson, Suzana Harcum & Owen White, and Julia Hutchinson. From testing new relationships to romances spanning decades, there's something for everyone in FRESH ROMANCE!

Love In Panels' Review:

Suzanne's post from July 2016, originally posted at Heroes & Heartbreakers is below. Rosy Press's content was acquired by Emet Comics, who published the second volume of Fresh Romance.

*****

Sometimes I get tired of reading novels (OMG did she just say that?!) and I flip on the latest episode of Jane the Virgin. And sometimes… I read comics. Okay, a lot of the time. I’m in a comics-for-ladies monthly discussion group called The League of Extraordinary Gentlewomen. It’s a real thing and it’s amazing.

So I’m maybe a little biased toward the graphic novel/comic medium.I love the way that a talented writing and art team can reveal character traits and plot points with such subtlety that you don’t pick up on it. While there’s still a lot of “cheesecake” (women drawn with an abundance of T&A and little clothing) in some comics, a great number of female-forward comics are being published and gaining popularity. Examples include: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Ms. Marvel, Saga, Sex Criminals, and of course, Buffy.

You probably want to know why I’m writing about comics on a romance site. Loads of comics have romance B-plots, but none of them have been 100% romance focused since the 70s. (Saga has an awesome star-crossed lovers in space with a baby thing going, but the romance isn’t always at the fore.)

Allow me to introduce Rosy Press’s Fresh Romance, a bimonthly comic featuring 3 10-page stories in each issue. These have been serialized up until now but are available in completed versions on their website and will be printed and available at a comic store near you (or online) on August 10.  The stories are diverse in terms of setting, sexual orientation, and racial makeup.I’ve read the first three stories and loved them. There will be 5 in all in the print edition, but you can get them now digitally if you’d like. 

School Spirit

High school kids involved in some hijinks. I wasn’t sure at first what was going on, but it’s intentionally written that way and it’s very cute. The characters are hiding their relationships for different reasons, mainly family judgments. Subtle exploration of the ways we might be biased against certain relationships while accepting those others might shun. Plus, boys who say things like “Dude. The reason you don’t have a prom date is because you talk about girls like that.” No stilted dialogue, and such good messaging.

Ruined

Ruined by Sarah Vaughn, Sarah Winifred Searle & Ryan FerrierDo you read historicals set in England? The title of this one ought to tell you enough. The credits list a “historical consultant.” You guys, just read it. It’s got scandal, an unfortunate? marriage, and of course, the romance.

The Ruby Equation

Adorable cupid/fairy uses math/logic to match people to earn her way back to her homeworld and a “better” assignment. Hijinks ensue. Will Ruby realize her true calling and the value of love?

Here’s the copy from the Kickstarter for the print edition:

  • School Spirit by Kate Leth, Arielle Jovellanos, Amanda Scurti, and Taylor Esposito. School Spirit is the story of four teens embroiled in keeping their love lives secret from everyone around them. It's never quite that simple, though, and complications for this group include bigoted parents and witch-y powers!
  • Ruined is an historical romance by Sarah Vaughn, Sarah Winifred Searle, and Ryan Ferrier featuring a couple entering a loveless marriage at the prompting of society and their families. The future looks bleak for Andrew and Catherine, but there's more to each of them than either one knows. (Just chapter 1 — 60 pages of story — will be included)
  • The Ruby Equation stars a cynical matchmaker from another dimension who has to learn to believe in love for real! But is a coffee shop the right place to learn lessons of love? Written by Sarah Kuhn, drawn by Sally Jane Thompson, colored by Savanna Ganucheau, and lettered by Steve Wands.
  • Beauties by Marguerite Bennett, Trungles, and Rachel Deering takes readers to a lush fantasy world where the beautiful are beastly and the beasts are beautiful — and true love can be either.
  • First, Last, and Always by Kieron Gillen and Christine Norrie is about the magic of a first kiss with someone.

I’m sure some of you will tell me in the comments about the extensive range romance-focused manga out there. PLEASE DO. I haven’t started on manga because it’s intimidating. If you’re feeling that way about comics, Fresh Romance is a great place to start! 


Gothic Tales of Haunted Love Cover
Title: Gothic Tales of Haunted Love
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Definitely a Romance
Heat: R
Tags: anthology
Where to Buy or Read:

Amazon

Bedside Press

Synopsis from the Creator:

Gothic Tales of Haunted Love is an exciting new collection of gothic romance comics.In 1950s Vietnam, a lost soul comes to the aid of a farmer’s field under attack.In Victorian Boston, a new governess comes to care for the rogueish widower of a stately manor and his charming brood of children.A fashion journalist lands the interview of her dreams – but it unearths deadly secrets of Taiwan’s most popular fashion designer.A Sioux elder heals a recently deceased woman who sets out to recover her lost love. And a young bride spins a story of murder and deceit that paints her husband as a killer . . . but is there any truth to her tale?Featuring 19 original stories from some of modern comics’ finest talent, Gothic Tales of Haunted Love collects fragments of lovers torn apart, ghostly revenge, and horrific deeds, in the vein of 1970s gothic romance comics such as Haunted Love, Ghostly Tales, Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love, and Gothic Romances. Discover a diverse range of heroes and villains, spirits and monsters, in a modern reimagining that will leave your heart pounding and broken in the same seductive breath. Contributors and stories include:

  • Amber Noelle & Allison Paige – My Heart Still Beats For You – A hospital patient is intrigued by a flirty nurse – and haunted by the sound of their newly transplanted heart.
  • Barbara Guttman – One More Cup – A woman soothes a monster with tea to protect the villagers from its wrath
  • Chris Stone & Dani Bee – Lovers’ Moon – A woman has to choose between two brothers, but the mysterious death of one suddenly makes her decision that much easier.
  • Dante L. & H. Pueyo – Fazenda do Sangue Azul – in 1960s Brazil, a renegade journalist takes refuge in an abandoned plantation and discovers a lonely ghost.
  • S.M. Beiko & Maia Kobabe – A Heritage of Woods – A young woman discovers the dark heritage of her ancestors and the magic behind the suburban forests.
  • Colleen Coover – Rose’s Heart – A beautiful woman seeks the heart of a good man.
  • David Robertson & Scott Henderson – The Return – an elder heals a recently deceased woman who sets out to recover her lost love.
  • Femi Sobowale & Caroline Dougherty – L’Heure Verte – a young socialite disovers a bewitching woman at a party who is more than she seems.
  • Hien Pham – Minefield – In 1950s Vietnam, a lost soul comes to the aid of a farmer’s field under attack.
  • Hope Nicholson & Scott Chantler – Goldblind – During the Yukon goldrush, two lovers chase the motherlode.
  • Janet Hetherington & Ronn Sutton – Crush – a new governess comes to care for the rogueish widow of a stately manor and his charming brood of children.
  • Katie West & Ray Fawkes – What’s Best – In 1930s Ontario, a young woman discovers her mother will do anything to set her daughter up with a nice young man.
  • Megan Kearney – Mistress Fox – A young bride spins a story of murder and deceit that paints her husband as a killer…but is there any truth to her tale?
  • Nika – Secrets in the Silk – A fashion journalist lands the interview of her dreams – but it unearths deadly secrets of Taiwan’s most popular fashion designer
  • Sarah W. Searle – Penddraig – The new lady of a manor falls in love with her maid while dealing with the icy cruelty of her new husband
  • Svetla Nikolova & LAB – Ouroboros – A sorceror and his wife take turns dealing in necromancy and passion
  • Willow Dawson & Cecil Castelluci – I am the Song – A lonely song haunts two young lovers.
  • Cherelle Higgins & Rina Rozsas – Green, Gold and Black – 1728 Jamaica, on the eve of a slave uprising, a young house slave tries to protect her newborn infant from a pair of vengeful ghosts.
  • Kitty Curan/Larissa Zageris – How Grave is Your Misfortune? Are you trapped in a gothic romance story? Take this quiz to find out!
  • Sanho Kim – The Promise – a reprint of the classic tale of two sisters who help a young soldier in his war.
  • Rahzzah – pinup
  • John K Snyder III – pinup
  • Leslie Doyle – cover art
Love In Panels' Review:

Gothic Tales of Haunted Love was one of my most anticipated titles of 2018. I backed it on Kickstarter and was enchanted by the images I saw in preview. You can read the launch post here. All of this is to say that I suspect my expectations were set too high and somewhat unrealistically. The resulting anthology is a solid piece of work, filled with beautiful gothic paintings and some creative twists on gothic stories of old.

It's also not romance. The love in these stories is that of a fleeting encounter with a phantom; a powerful need to protect children from an abusive father; a war-time show of brotherhood (or more). There are a few HEAs, but it's probably better to approach this anthology as an experiment in trope subversion than as a romance anthology. Heroes and heroines come from varying sexual orientations and racial and ethnic backgrounds and occupy space in different time periods and locations. There's certainly a gothic element to each story, something spooky or unexplainable or just plain terrifying, but I'm not sure the volume as a whole is cohesive.

I will say that, given the current political climate, it was immensely satisfying to see a female serial killer take out her romantic competition before realizing that it was the man she desired who was the true obstacle to her happiness. Whatever it takes to keep those kids safe and happy, right?

Overall, I found myself visually drawn to the paintings and to several of the comics. My heart, however, was most engaged by the foreword written by Jacque Nodell, who runs the vintage romance comics site, Sequential Crush. She walks us through the history of gothic romance comics and how they changed to be less romantic and more of a horror genre. It's a fascinating piece of comics history.


Power & Magic - The Queer Witch Comics Anthology Cover
Title: Power & Magic - The Queer Witch Comics Anthology
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Black and White
Romanciness: Romantic Elements
Heat: PG13
Tags: character of color queer lesbian nonbinary character creator of color anthology trans character
Synopsis from the Creator:

POWER & MAGIC: The Queer Witch Comics Anthology collects fifteen original comics about queer witches of color as they master their abilities, discover their traditions, and navigate love as beings with incredible power. This edition of POWER & MAGIC is 178 pages, black and white, and features the work of 17 women, demigirls, and bigender creators of color. From the euphoria of holding the stars in your grasp, to the sacrifices we make to reach them, POWER & MAGIC explores what it means to be a person of power in all its complexity.

Love In Panels' Review:

The second volume of Power & Magic is funding on Kickstarter right now (7/14/17) and the first volume just won a PRISM Award. Since I've had the PDF on my iPad for a few weeks, I figured it was time to give it a read. It's... wow.

What you get for your $10 (digital) is 15 stories about queer witches of color, some more magical than others, all of them accessible and engaging and evocative. I don't know if I've ever truly liked every story in an anthology before this one, and that alone makes this volume a stand-out. Lest this turn into an incoherent episode of fan-girling, I'm going to bullet this out:

  • The stories are all at least 10 pages, which means you get a real sense of place and character, as well as a quick plot.
  • Two of the stories made me tear up, which isn't something comics usually achieve.
  • Cute witches. Creepy witches. Awkward witches trying to flirt. A weird magical bus. A magic shop that isn't there, but also is? Witches in love. A little witch who discovers he can be both a witch and his true male self. (That one hit me in the feels.)
  • A list of creators at the back, which enables readers to go forth and read the rest of the work by these amazing women. (Bye-bye to your free time, I'm serious.)

In short, it's obvious why this beautiful, inspiring, comforting, heart-achingly real yet magical anthology won an award. I can't wait to read the second.


Smut Peddler Cover
Title: Smut Peddler
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Romantic Elements
Heat: NSFW
Tags: anthology erotica gay lesbian straight trans character creator of color disabled character
Where to Buy or Read:

2012 Edition

Iron Circus Comics (Print) (Ebook)

Amazon

2014 Edition

Iron Circus Comics (Print) (Ebook)

Amazon

Synopsis from the Creator:

ADULTS ONLY

2012 Edition: Smut Peddler started back in 2003 as a series of dirty little minicomics featuring some of the coolest folks in indie comics. Now, it's back as a full-sized anthology, featuring 24 different stories of love, sex, and a little bit of angst by a huge array of talented creators.

This book offers something for everyone, showcasing a whole rainbow of relationships, sexualities, and genders, plus the occasional robot, satyr, shapeshifter, or major religious figure.

2014 Edition: Smut Peddler, the big, dirty book that rocked the world in 2012, is back with more and better than ever! The 2014 edition of this award-winning ladycentric porn anthology features a dream team of artists and writers, an all-star cast of creators premiering the finest filth you’re gonna find.

Love In Panels' Review:

This isn't a porn or erotica review site, but these comics are SO GOOD I had to include them. Iron Circus says they're "by women, for everyone" and I agree. They feature a full array of relationships, bodies, situations, and art styles. Consent is present and enthusiastic. Much (not necessarily all) of the sex occurs inside a trusting relationship, with the romance that you'd expect. There are stories about couples who've been together for years, and couples who are just meeting. As with any anthology, you'll find some more to your liking than others, but these books are massive, so you're sure to find just what you want.


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