In the documentary No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics, ’80s comic book series Gay Comix publisher Denis Kitchen called underground comics “a forum for groups and individuals to speak their mind.” He continued: “My feeling was, let all the voices out!”
That quote resonates with me, as a queer person who’s spent my life drawing, studying, editing, and publishing comics. Comics allow creators to communicate their experiences and artistic visions in super-direct ways—they can be made by one person with cheap supplies, without needing the buy-off of studio execs or huge teams. It’s a natural fit for queer art and artists. Autobiographical graphic novels are a particular passion of mine for the depth of perspective they offer. In that spirit, and in no particular order, here are six graphic memoirs by transgender cartoonists that you should read immediately!
