Six must-read LGBTQ graphic novels

There is a strong tradition of LGBTQ writing in fiction and maybe you’ve already read some of these books – peruse our essential list if you are in need of suggestions on where to start. Happily, that tradition runs through graphic novels and comics too. Here, we pick some of our favourite illustrated LGBTQ stories and memoirs.

Stitches by David Small (2009)

Similarly to Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, Stitches is a graphic memoir which tells the story of a family, their secrets, and of pain and triumph. Written from a child’s perspective, we see a younger Small dealing with throat cancer but alongside, we also find out more about his unhappy childhood which involves a mother who was a closeted lesbian, and a father who is numbed by the knowledge that he has likely caused his son’s cancer through multiple X-rays during his early years. Stitches is brilliantly illustrated and the power of the story is enough to appeal to anyone with or without an interest in graphic novels.