Fantagraphics (August 6, 2012)
Justin Hall is an award-winning cartoonist and sits on the board of Prism Comics, a non-profit supporting LGBT comics. He teaches comics at the California College of Art.
Lambda Literary Award Winner, 2013 – LGBTQ+ Anthology
Collecting the world’s greatest LGBT comics under one cover.
Queer cartooning encompasses some of the best and most interesting comics of the last four decades, with creators tackling complex issues of identity and a changing society with intelligence, humor, and imagination. This book celebrates this vibrant artistic underground by gathering together a collection of excellent stories that can be enjoyed by all.
No Straight Lines showcases major names such as Alison Bechdel (whose book Fun Home was named Time Magazine’s 2006 Book of the Year), Howard Cruse (whose groundbreaking Stuck Rubber Baby is now back in print), and Ralf Koenig (one of Europe’s most popular cartoonists), as well as high-profile, cross-over creators who have dabbled in LGBT cartooning, like legendary NYC artist David Wojnarowicz and media darling and advice columnist Dan Savage. No Straight Lines also spotlights many talented creators who never made it out of the queer comics ghetto, but produced amazing work that deserves wider attention.
Until recently, queer cartooning existed in a parallel universe to the rest of comics, appearing only in gay newspapers and gay bookstores and not in comic book stores, mainstream bookstores or newspapers. The insular nature of the world of queer cartooning, however, created a fascinating artistic scene. LGBT comics have been an uncensored, internal conversation within the queer community, and thus provide a unique window into the hopes, fears, and fantasies of queer people for the last four decades.
These comics have forged their aesthetics from the influences of underground comix, gay erotic art, punk zines, and the biting commentaries of drag queens, bull dykes, and other marginalized queers. They have analyzed their own communities, and their relationship with the broader society. They are smart, funny, and profound. No Straight Lines will be heralded by people interested in comics history, and people invested in LGBT culture will embrace it as a unique and invaluable collection.Color and black-and-white comics throughout
Comics Come Out: Gay Gag Strips, Underground Comix, and Lesbian Literati
Joe Johnson: Miss Thing
Shawn: Gayer Than Strange
Charles Ortlieb and Richard Fiala: Christopher Street
Trina Robbins: Sandy Comes Out
Trina Robbins: Gertrude and Alice
Mary Wings: Child Labor
Roberta Gregory: Protecting Yer Morals
Lee Marrs: My Deadly Darling Dyke
Joyce Farmer: Slice of Life
Nazario: selections
Carl Vaughn Frick: The Tortoise and the Scorpion
Howard Cruse: Billy Goes Out
Howard Cruse: Wendell
Kurt Erichsen: Home Movies with the Spinster Sisters
Jerry Mills: Poppers (Love, Surfers)
Donelan: untitled
Jeff Krell: Jayson Gets a Visitor
Tim Barela: Leonard and Larry (Til Tricks Do Us Part)
Burton Clarke: Cy Ross and the Snow Queen Syndrome
Robert Triptow: I Know You Are But What Am I?
Ralf König: Roy and Al (Sniffing Around)
Ralf König: Greek Lessons
File Under Queer: Comix to Comics, Punk Zines, and Art During the Plague
David Wojnarowicz, James Romberger, and Marguerite Van Cook: 7 Miles a Second (selection)
Ivan Velez, Jr.: untitled
Carl Vaughn Frick: Watch Out!
Jerry Mills: Poppers (Sex Object, Dark)
Jaime Cortez: Sexile (selection)
Jennifer Camper: selections (AIDS/Women to Avoid, What They Say About Her Now, Household Sadists, A Letter to Heterosexuals)
Rupert Kinnard: Cathartic Comics
Diane DiMassa: Hothead Paisan Homicidal Lesbian Terrorist (TV, Blow U Away, Superman)
Roberta Gregory: Bitchy Butch World’s Angriest Dyke
Leanne Franson: Rip Up Those Roles
Leslie Ewing: Why You Will Never See Me at a Lesbian Sex Club
Joan Hilty: selections (Door Dyke, I Was a Celebrity Plaything)
Alison Bechdel: My Own Michigan Hell, The Power of Prayer
Alison Bechdel: Dykes to Watch Out For (#436, #437)
Alison Bechdel: Oppressed Minority Cartoonist
Andrea Natalie: Stonewall Riots
Michael Fahy: selections (Fortune Cookie, Fuzz Butt Frenzy, Bad Date Haiku)
Craig Bostick: Funnel of Love
Roxxie: Boys and Sex
Craig Bostick: Replacement
Robert Kirby and Dr. Travers Scott: Instruction
Robert Kirby: Curbside Boys
Craig Bostick: By Accident
David Kelly: Steven’s Comics (Learning to Swim, Swimming with Guppies, The Treehouse, Eaten Alive!)
Craig Bostick: Falling
Sina Evil: Cigarettes
Jennifer Camper: selections (Ramadan, America)
Tom Bouden: Things Not To Say or Do After Having Sex, More Things Not to Say or Do After Having Sex
Eric Orner: The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green
Eric Orner: Weekends Abroad
Victor Hodge: Click Download
Steve MacIsaac: In Plain Sight
Fabrice Neaud: Emile (excerpt)
David Shenton: Sunday
A New Millennium: Trans Creators, Webcomics, and Stepping Out of the Ghetto
Joey Alison Sayers: Just So You Know (Springtime, Freaking Out the Parents)
Gina Kamentsky: T-Gina (Is GRS For Me?, Altered Ego)
Dylan Edwards: Outfield, Trannytoons
Annie Murphy: Androgyne
Tristan Cane and Ted Naifeh: How Loathsome (excerpt)
Edie Fake: Fuck Me Like This, L.A. Silence (excerpt)
Erika Moen: DAR (Worst Things I’ve Done to my Partners During Sex, We’re Getting Laid, So Much Pussy)
MariNaomi: Alyssa Part 2
Leanne Franson: Sensitive Straight Boy
Maurice Vellekoop: Soap
Dan Savage and Ellen Forney: My First Time…in Drag!
Ivan Velez, Jr.: If I Were a Drag Queen…
Ellen Forney: How to be a Fabulous Drag Hag!
Ariel Schrag and Kevin Seccia: Ariel and Kevin Invade an LA Dyke Bar
Paige Braddock: Jane’s World (excerpt)
Tim Fish: Voodoo You Do So Well!
Glen Hanson and Allan Neuwirth: Chelsea Boys (One Fine Brother)
Chuck McKinney and Chino: From the Cellar (Shrinky Dink, Traffic Jam)
Francois Peneaud and Roger Zanni: The Gardener
Tony Breed: Finn and Charlie are Hitched
Christine Smith: The Princess
Isabel Franc and Susanna Martin: Alicia in the Real World (excerpt)
Justin Hall: I No Longer Cared
Eric Shanower: Happily Ever After
Jon Macy: Teleny and Camille (excerpt)
Rick Worley: A Waste of Time
Andy Hartzell: Date With an Angel
BiL Sherman: My Obsession with Frankenstein’s Monster!!!
Carrie McNitch: You Don’t Get There From Here (excerpts)
Ed Luce: Wuvable Oaf (Worst Dates)
Ed Luce and Matt Wobensmith: Wuvable Oaf (Smusherrr)
Michelle Gruben: Girlfriends (My Faire Lady, Lesbian History, Lesbian Superpowers)
Kris Dresen: In Common
Mysh: Queer Haikus (Saturday, No Straight Lines)