The Queer Comics Collection (TQCP)
media representation
Comic books have had a long and complex history with queer representation, this history alongside the inherent traits of the medium have made comic books a great example of an entertainment source which has managed to portray queer themes in a respectful and yet still entertaining way, something other mediums could learn from.
Beginning with a research paper and culminating in an exhibition of four comic books this project explores what representation of real Queer stories could look like in comic form.
This project was completed over Spring 2019 and Fall 2019 at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities as my Graphic Design - BFA thesis.
For the privacy of those who graciously shared their stories, the entire content of these comics are not available.
The final product
Beginning with the end, here are the four issues of the comic book volume I created for this project. The concept called for a full scope of 6 comic issues, one for each letter of the LGBTQA acronym, however due to time restraints only the first 4 comics were fully completed, while the final 2 are only advertised as upcoming issues.
the paper
I started this project being frustrated at the lack of LGBTQA representation in my favorite media form, comics. What I discovered was I just didn’t know where to look. Comics have had a long history with LGBTQA representation often times representing queer themes with more care and accuracy than other media such as movies or TV shows due to the niche nature of the medium. This idea is explored within the research thesis I wrote before embarking on the final project and steered the course of the project.
Select the image to read through the paper (and other essays on design and LGBTQA themes) I wrote during the writing phase, on Issu.com
the exhibition
There are several elements of the final project which were only in used for the exhibition, such as the submission box for new stories for the upcoming volume, advertisements, and the wall installation to show a few key illustrations. The submission box was an interactive opportunity to have visitors to the exhibit share their own LGBTQIA stories to appear in an upcoming issue of the comics. The advertisements were cover mock ups of the two unreleased issues that simply said they were ‘coming out’ soon.
