LGBTQ+ Comics Reading Guide

June 19, 2024 Vin Batwoman, Comics, DC, Heartstopper, IDW, Image Comics, LGBTQ+, Marvel, Reading Guides, Star Wars, Young Avengers 22 min read

Happy Pride month! To celebrate all our favorite queer stories in comics, we’ve put together a giant LGBTQ+ reading recommendations guide just for you! These comics cover community picks, creator spotlights, popular recommendations & critical darlings. We’ve got everything from superhero books to indie gems to webcomics. Enjoy reading!

Make sure to also check the “Additional Resources” section at the end of this guide!

Cosmic Circle: The Pride Month Podcast

LGBTQ+ Comics: Community Picks

Different stories move people differently! So in addition to the extensive LGBTQ+ comics guide below, this Community Picks section is filled with personal recommendations from our friends and readers, many of whom identify as queer themselves. Take a look at their favorite books and see if there’s something that speaks to you!

Some of the most common recs include Paper Girls, The Nice House on the Lake, Fun Home, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, Doom Patrol by Rachel Pollack, and Poison Ivy by G. Willow Wilson! If there are any more LGBTQ+ comics you recommend, let us know!

@heyitsjennalynn (Jenna at Comicbook.com):

“Alysia Yeoh’s appearances (Gail Simone’s Batgirl run, as well as her DC Pride solo story from 2022) will always have a special place in my heart.”
- Batgirl (2011) #1-24, 31-52; Annual 2014
- Batgirl (2016) #7-11, 18-20, 35-36; Annual 2017
- Batman Giant (2018) #8-13
- DC Pride 2022 #1 (Alysia Yeoh: “Up at Bat”)
- Batgirls (2022) #9-12, 18-19; Annual 2022
- The DC Book of Pride: A Celebration of DC’s LGBTQIA+ Characters (2023)
“Scandal Savage & Knockout’s love story in Secret Six!”
- Secret Six (2006) #1-6
- Birds of Prey (1999) #104-109
- Secret Six (2008) #31-36
“Coagula in Doom Patrol!”
- Doom Patrol (1987) #70-87
- DC Pride: A Celebration of Rachel Pollack (2024)

Richard Newby at Fangoria, The Hollywood Reporter, TIME

Young Avengers by Gillen and McKelvie
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra by Gillen
Gotham City Monsters by Steve Orlando
The Sandman: A Game of You by Neil Gaiman
And I’m not sure if these count because the characters aren’t explicitly queer but the creators are and I think they can be read as queer texts:
- New X-Men by Grant Morrison
- Scarlet Witch by Steve Orlando
- Justice League Dark by James Tynion IV
- Aquaman: Tempest by Phil Jimenez

@RavianWrites on Twitter/X:

Die: “Jumanji for all of us gay D&D fans. Its final couple of issues made me cry many times. Die has one of the best and most emotionally resonant descriptions of being non-binary I’ve read so far. And the dragon they have to beat at the end being internalized queerphobia is peak storytelling. It might just be my favourite book ever.”
Nubia & The Amazons and Nubia: Queen of the Amazons: “Not only did these books give us a trans Amazon, but the romance between Io and Nubia is just so good. One of the best additions to the world of Wonder Woman in recent memory, maybe ever.”
Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story: “After last year’s Galaxy: The Prettiest Star, DC does it again. Another amazing queer coming of age story crafted with so much love for our community that it also made me cry.”
Alice in Leatherland: “A sweet sapphic love story with just a side of kink. Amazing art and two brilliant leads make this book such a lovely read.”
Black Cat and Iron Cat: “I love Felicia Hardy, and Mackay’s run just hits it out of the park consistently. The romance told in flashbacks with Iron Cat is so bittersweet. Still one of my comfort reads, even though I’ve read it at least 5 times already.”
The Colour of Always: “Telling a story in just a couple of pages is hard, but the creative teams in this anthology hit that beautiful emotional note time and time again. A great celebration of being queer that I would recommend to anyone.”

@mont on Discord:

“My favorite comic run including queer characters, which should be no surprise, has to be Young Avengers Vol 1 by Allan Heinberg & Jim Cheung. While not the first time Marvel had a LGBTQ+ superhero, Young Avengers was groundbreaking and the writing of Billy and Teddy as an openly gay couple has changed comics forever. Wiccan and Hulkling will go down as one of Marvel’s most iconic couples of all time, and all thanks to Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung for creating them all those years ago.
“Another favorite comic of mine featuring queer characters is The Last Annihilation: Wiccan & Hulkling (2021) #1. This comic beautifully details how Billy and Teddy met in high school, and it shows their bond now in such a fascinating way by showing their strength in being together even when apart. Anthony Oliveira fundamentally understands Billy and Teddy and what they mean to the Queer community, and he knocks this one out of the park.”

@lavastaplemouse on Discord:

“The Nice House on the Lake is one of my all time favourite comics and has 5 queer leads that are all very strongly developed in their own light. It’s a comic all about the awkwardness and social intricacies of friendships, where universal and specific dynamics are explored. There are also topics of developing into the later adult stages losing ties, and certain trans experiences being shared. The actual plot and its Sci-fi/Horror elements will just elevate the storytelling DNA even more. A story hard not to love/be scared by. Oh yeah, and the art + colouring is also top tier.”
“It’s only a bit until I finish Fun Home and can’t say too much, but it’s very moving and a memoir about Alison Bechdel’s relationship with her father while observing identity while growing up.”
Paper Girls

@AnneComics on Twitter/X:

Giant Days
The Prince and Dressmaker
Sunstone
Angela: Asgard’s Assassin
Aquaman: The Becoming
The Backstagers
Galaxy: The Prettiest Star
Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story
Lumberjanes

@CrushingComics (Krisis at CrushingKrisis.com):

Lumberjanes (2014)
Heathen (2015)
The Prince & The Dressmaker (2018)
Moth & Whisper (2018)
The Dreaming: Waking Hours (2020)
Mamo (2021)
Chromatic Fantasy (2023) (TOTAL NSFW warning)
Keeping Time (2023, http://keepingtimecomic.com) (18+ warning)

@roomfullofvacuum (Roscoe) on Discord:

“The Nice House On The Lake is a beautiful, doomed, apocalyptic tale of tortured queer nostalgia; with a trans character at its center who feels uniquely real in a medium that often does not give us that dignity.”
The Wicked and the Divine
Die
Fun Home
Love and Rockets
Doom Patrol by Rachel Pollack
Immortal Hulk

@damontweet (Damon at AgentsOfFandom.com):

“Anything from Steve Orlando”
Once Upon A Time At The End Of The World (2023)
Wynd (2021)
DC Pride (2021-present)
Marvel Voices: Pride (2021-present)
Poison Ivy (2022) by G. Willow Wilson

@cducharme_on Discord:

“The Neighbors by Jude Ellison S. Doyle & Letizia Cadonici is a fantastic story with a trans-masc non-token character and a supportive cis female partner who encouraged him to be himself. But also lots of good horror elements.”
“The Hills of Estrella Roja by Ashley Robin Franklin is a great young adult oriented horror story with a friendship turned romance with the two female protagonists.”
“One last non-horror one: We Are the Danger by Fabian Lelay. This is another well written book with LGBTQ+ story.”

@ELKNIGHT201 on Twitter/X:

Wanderlust (https://m.webtoons.com/en/creator/098if)
Sharp Zero (@sharpzerocomic, https://m.tapas.io/series/SharpZero/info)
Magical Boy (@theKAO)
“All 3 center on trans men!”

@walpurti (Numbat) on Discord:

Poison Ivy (2022) by G. Willow Wilson
Paper Girls
Gotham Central
Bad Dream: a Dreamer Story by Nicole Maines

@neilvagg on Twitter/X:

“Top of my list of recent ones is definitely BOOM! Studios’ Specs. It’s a cool classic horror but with an lgbtq+ angle.”
“DC Pride has to be in there as a yearly anthology celebration for pride month. It always upsets the keyboard warriors when it releases, which makes me love it even more.”

@FettRules on Twitter/X:

Northstar (Alpha Flight #1-50, 81-130)
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Omnibus Vol. 1-2

@SwordOfAlicia on Twitter/X:

Angela: Asgard’s Assassin
Darkhold: Pages From the Book of Sins
Doom Patrol by Gerard Way

Brian Kitson at TheCosmicCircus.com:

Suicide Squad: Dream Team (2024) #1-3 by Nicole Maines & Eddy Barrows

@blockdmyownshot on Discord:

“Young Avengers (2013) by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie! Lots of focus around Hulkling and Wiccan and introduced America Chavez to the lineup and made me love her!”

@chrisf4 on Discord:

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Omnibus Vol. 1-2

@rosiemarx (Rosie from the X-Ray Vision podcast):

On a Sunbeam

@GiantAsianMan on Discord:

“Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye and the follow up, Transformers: Lost Light. Seriously. Some of the best Transformers stories ever told (IMO). The IDW comics did a lot to introduce and explore the ideas of sexuality and gender identity in giant robots. And it totally worked.”

@arcademischief on Discord:

Justin Jin, aka Kid Juggernaut! He’s a new Korean-Canadian character that had his debut recently in Marvel Voices #100 and has his own limited infinity comic going on right now explaining his origin (Kid Juggernaut: Marvel’s Voices Infinity Comic). He’s also very sweet, is a pro in basketball and has a massive crush on a guy that visits his mom’s donut store.

@joshthelink on Discord:

X-Factor by Leah Williams & David Baldeon

@allhellismrsun on Twitter/X:

The Pride season two #1

@stupopp on Discord:

Cosmoknights by Hannah Templer

@wes21arctic on Discord:

Runaways

@mjgamer_ (MJ) on Discord:

Paper Girls

@itsrayne (rayne) on Discord:

Paper Girls

@jord.an (jordan) on Discord:

Paper Girls

LGBTQ+ Comics: DC’s Batwoman and Gotham Central

These are some of the most popular LGBTQ+ comics, and an easy place to start for any new reader. At DC Comics, Greg Rucka, JH Williams III, and James Tynion IV have turned in amazing work with Batwoman Kate Kane. Besides being an awesome action hero, Kate’s queerness comes with real depth, which is painfully intensified by the problems with her military father. Kate also starred on her own CW TV show, so be sure to check it out alongside the comics!

Greg Rucka also co-wrote the critically acclaimed Gotham Central. The fan-favorite series starred Renee Montoya as a closeted gay cop in the corrupt Gotham Central Police Department. Renee’s story later continued in 52 and her own solo arc as The Question! James Tynion IV is openly gay and his long run with Kate Kane in Detective Comics and Batwoman: Rebirth featured multiple queer characters.

I’ve also included some honorable mentions for Rucka and Tynion’s other work with LGBTQ+ characters as well. The Old Guard features queer romance between immortals, Wonder Woman’s 2016 supporting cast includes multiple lesbians, Memetic is a sci-fi miniseries with gay male leads, and Backstagers is a trans-centric story with magical creatures!

Renee Montoya by Greg Rucka (queer female)
- Gotham Central (2003) #6-10 (“Half a Life”)
- 52 (2006) #1-18, 23-52
- Detective Comics #854-863 (“The Question: Pipeline”)

Batwoman by Greg Rucka & JH Williams III (queer female)
- 52 (2006) #7-11, 28-36, 47-48, 52
- Detective Comics #854-863 (“Batwoman: Elegy”)
- Batwoman (2011) #1-24

Batwoman by James Tynion IV (queer female, trans)
- Detective Comics #934-981
- After #949: Batwoman (2017) #1-6, Rebirth #1 (“The Many Arms of Death”)

Other LGBTQ+ work by Greg Rucka

Wonder Woman: Rebirth (2017) by Greg Rucka, Bilquis Evely, Nicola Scott (pan, queer female)
The Old Guard by Greg Rucka & Leandro Fernández (queer male, queer female)

Other LGBTQ+ work by James Tynion IV

The Woods (2014) by James Tynion IV & Michael Dialynas (trans)
Memetic (2014) by James Tynion IV (queer male)
John Constantine The Hellblazer (2016) by Ming Doyle & James Tynion IV (pan, queer female, queer male)
The Backstagers (2017) by James Tynion IV & Rian Sygh (pan, queer male, trans)
The Department of Truth (2020) by James Tynion IV & Martin Simmmonds (queer male)
The Nice House on the Lake (2021) by James Tynion IV & Álvaro Martínez Bueno (queer male, trans)

LGBTQ+ Comics: Marvel’s Young Avengers

Wiccan and Hulkling are arguably the most famous gay couple in the Marvel universe. Their story starts in Young Avengers by Allan Heinberg & Jim Cheung and has continued through a number of miniseries. Heinberg himself is gay, and outside of comics he has forged a prolific screenwriting career, including the Wonder Woman film, Sandman on Netflix, and Grey’s Anatomy.

Meanwhile, the Young Avengers continued in a second series by Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie, and the new team included even more queer characters like Prodigy and America Chavez. As a bonus recommendation, the creative duo also created the indie hit The Wicked + The Divine, which reimagines the gods as LGBTQ+ pop stars!

Be sure to check out the Young Avengers comics reading guide for a more with Wiccan, Hulkling, and all their queer peers!

Young Avengers (2005) by Allan Heinberg & Jim Cheung (queer male)
- Young Avengers (2005) #1-12; Special #1
- Civil War: Young Avengers and Runaways (2006) #1-4
- Young Avengers Presents (2008) #2-3
- Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers (2008) #1-3
- Dark Reign: Young Avengers (2009) #1-5
- Avengers: The Children’s Crusade (2010) #1-9; Young Avengers #1

Young Avengers (2013) #1-15 by Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie (queer male, queer female, pan, nonbinary)

New Avengers (2015) #1-18 by Al Ewing (queer male, queer female)

Other LGBTQ+ work by Kieron Gillen

The Wicked + The Divine (2014) by Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie (asexual, pan, queer female, trans)
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2016) by Kieron Gillen & Kev Walker (queer female)
Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt (2019) by Kieron Gillen & Caspar Wijngaard (queer male)

Creator Spotlight: Alison Bechdel

One of the most important LGBTQ+ creators in the history of media is Alison Bechdel. The creator of the famous Bechdel Test, she has fought for queer female representation in comics for over 40 years and was awarded the MacArthur Genius Grant in 2014.

Bechdel made her debut in 1983 with the weekly comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, which became one of the most hallmark lesbian comics of the 20th century. Since Dykes ended in 2008, Bechdel has written several memoirs sharing her personal perspectives and experiences throughout the years.

Her most famous memoir is Fun Home, which was adapted into a Tony Award-winning musical. This was followed up by Are You My Mother? (focusing on Bechdel’s relationship with her mother) and The Secret to Superhuman Strength (reflections on relationships through physical activity). Many of her works are taught in college courses due to their importance in LGBTQ+ literature, autobiographical literature, and the comics medium overall.

Dykes to Watch Out For (1983) by Alison Bechdel (pan, queer female, trans)
- Weekly comic strip from 1983 to 2008

Fun Home (2006) by Alison Bechdel (nsfw, queer female, queer male, coming of age)
- Memoir. Adapted into a Tony-awarding Broadway musical!

Are You My Mother? (2012) by Alison Bechdel (queer female)
- Memoir

The Secret to Superhuman Strength (2021) by Alison Bechdel (queer female)
- Memoir

LGBTQ+ Ally Spotlight: Brian K. Vaughan

Brian K. Vaughan is a fan-favorite writer known for blockbuster series at Marvel and DC, along with his own independent work. Although he is not a member of the LGBTQ+ community, he strives to include complex queer characters in each comic he writes.

Many of Vaughan’s most popular comics with LGBTQ+ characters have been adapted for screen, including Paper Girls, Y: The Last Man, and Marvel’s Runaways. He also had a significant role in the creative production of Lost. Over his 30-year career, Vaughan has maintained a consistent level of quality, earning him 14 Eisner Awards, 14 Harvey Awards, a Hugo Award, and more.

Y: The Last Man (2002) #1-60 by Brian K. Vaughan & Pia Guerra (pan, queer female, trans)
- Adapted on FX/Hulu!

Runaways (2003) by Brian Vaughan & Adrian Alphona (queer female)
- Runaways (2003) #1-18
- Runaways (2005) #1-24
- Adapted on Hulu/Disney+!

Saga (2012) #1-66 by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (pan, queer male, trans)
- Still ongoing: Expected to run for 108 issues total

Paper Girls (2015) #1-30 by Brian K. Vaughan & Cliff Chiang (queer female)
- Adapted on Amazon Prime Video!

Creator Spotlight: ND Stevenson

ND Stevenson is a trans creator who has taken the world of comics and animation by storm. He is responsible for hit Netflix productions like She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and Nimona, and is the mastermind of the original Nimona comic, as well as the beloved fan-favorite series Lumberjanes.

Stevenson has also published a few autobiographical works with The Fire Never Goes Out and I’m Fine I’m Fine Just Understand. His accolades include multiple Eisner Awards, an Emmy, and a GLAAD Media Award for contributions to the LGBTQ+ community.

Nimona (2012) by ND Stevenson (queer male, all ages)
- Now on Netflix!

Lumberjanes (2014) #1-75 by ND Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, & Gus Allen (nonbinary, queer female, trans)

Runaways: Battleworld (2015) by ND Stevenson & Sanford Greene (pan, queer female)

Moonstruck (2017) by Grace Ellis & Shae Beagle (queer female, nonbinary)

I’m Fine I’m Fine Just Understand (2021) by ND Stevenson (nonbinary)
- Autobiographical webcomic on Substack (ongoing)

Creator Spotlight: Steve Orlando

Steve Orlando is a bisexual writer with major comics at DC, Marvel, and indie publishers. His Midnighter series in 2015 was the first solo series from DC or Marvel to focus on a queer male hero, and its massive success cemented Orlando’s modern comics career. He’s now written Batman, Wonder Woman, JLA, Martian Manhunter, and the longest Scarlet Witch run in comics history.

Orlando did not create the Midnighter character, but his run was a significant modern revamp that added much-needed depth to the queer hero. The success of Midnighter led to a sequel series, Midnighter & Apollo. Both GLAAD-nominated series are violent, openly gay, and deeply human. Orlando has also written a number of indie books, including the LGBTQ+ revenge thriller Virgil.

Virgil (2015) by Steve Orlando & J.D. Faith (queer male)

Midnighter (2015) #1-12 by Steve Orlando & ACO (queer male)

Midnighter and Apollo (2016) #1-6 by Steve Orlando & Fernando Blanco (queer male)

Crude (2018) #1-6 by Steve Orlando (pan, poly, queer male)

Creator Spotlight: Tillie Walden

Tillie Walden is one of the newest writers to make a big splash on the indie comics scene. She has amassed a formidable body of work in just a few years, nearly all of which are fantastic LGBTQ+ recommendations. She won an Eisner Award for her coming-of-age memoir Spinning, becoming one of the youngest recipients in history at only age 22.

Walden is perhaps best known for the webcomic On A Sunbeam, a gorgeously illustrated science fiction queer romance. Her newer work includes are you listening? (a heartbreaking road trip comic) and Clementine (a queer The Walking Dead story).

On A Sunbeam (2016) by Tillie Walden (nonbinary, queer female)

Spinning (2017) by Tillie Walden (queer female, coming of age)
- 2018 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work

are you listening? (2019) by Tillie Walden (queer female, coming of age)

Clementine (2022) #1-3 by Tillie Walden (queer female, coming of age)
- Set in The Walking Dead universe
- 2023 Eisner Award Nominee for Best Publication for Teens

Junior High (2023) by Tegan & Sara and Tillie Walden (coming of age, queer female, queer male)

More LGBTQ+ Comics Recommendations

Gathered below are many more of the most popular and critically-acclaimed comics that spotlight LGBTQ+ characters realistically and meaningfully. This is not a complete list, but it helps demonstrate the vast variety of comics with queer characters. With so many different genres, formats, and queer representations, hopefully there is a book here for everyone. If we missed one of your favorites, just let us know!

Be sure to check out our LGBTQ+ comic reviews too!

Sandman (1989) by Neil Gaiman (nonbinary, trans, queer male, queer female)
- Adapted on Netflix!
- Continued in “Death: The Time of Your Life”

Sunstone (2012) by Stjepan Šejić (nsfw, bdsm, queer female, pan, poly)

Heartstopper (2016) by Alice Oseman (queer male)
- Adapted on Netflix!

Love & Rockets (1982) by the Hernandez Brothers (queer female, trans)
Stuck Rubber Baby (1995) by Howard Cruse (queer male)
Scott Pilgrim (2004) by Bryan Lee O’Malley (queer male, queer female)
Secret Six (2006) by Gail Simone, Dale Eaglesham, Brad Walker, Nicola Scott (pan, queer female)
The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal (2009) by E.K. Weaver (NSFW, pan, queer male)
O Human Star (2012) by Blue Delliquanti (queer male, nonbinary, trans)
- Across a Field of Starlight (2022) by Blue Delliquanti (nonbinary, trans, coming of age)
Strong Female Protagonist (2012) by Brennan Lee Mulligan & Molly Ostertag (queer female, queer male)
Rat Queens (2013) by Kurtis J. Wiebe & Roc Upchurch (queer female, trans)
Check, Please! (2013) by Ngozi Ukazu (queer male, coming of age)
Bitch Planet (2014) by Kelly Sue DeConnick & Valentine De Landro (queer female, trans)
Giant Days (2015) by John Allison & Max Sarin (queer female)
Mooncakes (2015) by Suzanne Walker & Wendy Xu (nonbinary, queer female, coming of age)
Heathen (2015) by Natasha Alterici (queer female, coming of age)
Motor Crush (2016) by Brenden Fletcher, Babs Tarr, & Cameron Stewart

My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness (2016) by Nagata Kabi (NSFW, queer female)
The Witch Boy (2017) by Molly Ostertag (trans, all ages)
- The Hidden Witch (2018) by Molly Ostertag (trans, all ages)
- The Midwinter Witch (2019) by Molly Ostertag (trans, all ages)
The Prince and the Dressmaker (2018) by Jen Wang (nonbinary, drag, all ages, coming of age)
Crossplay (2018) by Niki Smith (nsfw, queer female, nonbinary, trans)
A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns (2018) by Archie Bongiovanni & Tristan Jimerson (nonbinary)
- A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities (2019) by Mady G. & J.R. Zuckerberg (nonbinary, trans)
- Grease Bats (2019) by Archie Bongiovanni (nonbinary, trans)
- Mimosa (2023) by Archie Bongiovanni (nonbinary, trans)
Gender Queer: A Memoir (2019) by Maia Kobabe (asexual, nonbinary, coming of age)
Bloom (2019) by Kevin Panetta & Savanna Ganucheau (queer male, coming of age)
The Magic Fish (2020) by Trung Le Nguyen (queer male, trans)
Mamo (2022) by Sas Milledge (queer female)
Poison Ivy (2022) by G. Willow Wilson & Marcio Takara (queer female)

Additional LGBTQ+ Comics Resources

This guide is gigantic, but it’s still not everything! If you’re eager to dive even deeper into the world of LGBTQ+ comics, here are some useful resources to help you find your next favorite book. When you find something great, let us know and we’ll add it to the list!

Beyond comics, here at The Cosmic Circus we also have a catalog of LGBTQ+ reviews and commentary.

You can also find comics in dedicated LGBTQ+ magazines like The Advocate!

And that’s our Pride Guide for comics! Do you have any favorites on this list? What are you planning to read next? Let me know on X/Twitter @vinwriteswords and remember to follow the site on social media @MyCosmicCircus for more cosmic queerness coming soon!

Also check out our full list of comics reading guides here, including the Young Avengers!

Young Avengers Comics Reading Guide

Are you new to comics? Try our “How to Get into Comics” guide, and find me on Twitter if you have any questions!

All comics images courtesy of DC, Marvel, and various comics publishers.