10 Best LGBTQ Graphic Novels UK 2024

Heartstopper is a teen romance set in an all-boys grammar school in the UK. Part of an ongoing series, and soon-to-be Netflix adaptation, it follows the blossoming relationship between Nick and Charlie as they navigate the trials and tribulations of school, friends, family and adolescent life.

Oseman handles a range of sensitive topics in a profound yet gentle way that prevents the narrative from ever becoming too heavy. It's a joyful read and a welcome addition to the cannon of queer coming-of-age stories.

Following the death of his twin, Yaichi's brother-in-law comes to stay with him and his young daughter Kana. This series of events impels the single father to learn compassion for big, cuddly Canadian Mike and come to terms with his own regrets and homophobic assumptions.

Gengoroh Tagame is a prolific gay manga author, historian and activist. Known primarily for his erotic works, here Tagame turns his pen to a bittersweet depiction of domesticity. Although set in the context of a Japanese home, it's a universal tale of how prejudice affects family life and how we can grow to overcome it.

The Tea Dragon Society is a gentle fantasy story that centres around the themes of tradition, artistry and craftsmanship. After Greta discovers a lost tea dragon in the marketplace, she learns to care for the magical creature and the intricacies of this dying art.

If you're looking for an example of diversity done right, in a work suitable for all ages, you would be remiss to pass this one up! O'Neil's vibrant illustrations draw you into the world of tea dragons and make reading each page something to be savoured, perhaps, even alongside a cup of tea?

Bron and Ray delight in their role as fun aunties to Ray's six-year-old niece, Nessie. Their fantastical playdates serve as a much-needed respite from familial tensions, fraught relationships and struggles with mental health as they transform into primal beasts tearing through the wilderness.

Lai's is a style like none other, at once wonderfully expressive yet beautifully bleak. This isn't the most lighthearted or uplifting read, but relationships are hard, people are complicated, and such poignant stories need to be told.

Gender Queer allows us to peer into the pages of Kobabe's sketchbook, as e discusses eir journey of self-discovery and formation of identity outside of the gender binary. 

While this graphic novel doesn't shy away from frank depictions of puberty and sexuality, there's a levity and sense of humour throughout. Whether it's eir bohemian childhood and fascination with snakes or the insight into Kobabe's numerous interests from Tolkien to Bowie by way of gay fanfiction, it's an enlightening read from beginning to end!

The Pride follows a team of LGBTQ+ superheroes assembled by FabMan, a hero who has had enough of being seen as a joke. A must-read for comic book fans, it presents a clear conversation regarding representation via dynamic artwork, wry wit and a well-paced plot.

It's as much a love letter to the genre as it is a criticism of the industry that spawned many a caped crusader. The campy humour gently pokes fun at expected stereotypes and tropes, but once you get further in, you'll find some very sophisticated storytelling at its core. 

Ignatz Award-winning graphic memoir, Spinning, chronicles Walden's youth spent on ice. Over the decade depicted, we get a glimpse into her waning love affair with the sport as she moves schools, meets her first girlfriend and recontextualises the role figure skating plays in her life. 

Walden perfectly captures the melancholy of teenage loneliness, with a graphic style so candid you can practically feel the chill of the ice rink. Rather than sticking to a structured narrative, it pieces together fragmented recollections alongside an emotional undercurrent that can't be ignored.

How to Be Ace: A Memoir of Growing Up Asexual is a personal account of finding pride and acceptance in your own identity. This graphic novel deals with feelings of being an outsider, struggling with social interactions and living with anxiety and OCD, all in a grounded and relatable way.

Burgess's memoir challenges the societal ideals associated with intimacy, and the pressure it puts on individuals to act in particular ways, or desire certain things. It also provides an excellent primer on asexual identities that are often left out of the conversation when discussing LGBTQ+ topics.

Hazel and Mari first met at church bingo in 1963. Despite falling in love at first sight, family and societal pressures eventually pulled the couple apart, and in the years that followed, both married men and started families. In Bingo Love, the pair reunite decades later, rekindling their affection for one another.

With so many romances focusing on young love, it's refreshing to see a relationship bloom between two women in their 60s. Franklin crafts a sentimental story that deals with the complexities of relationships from a mature perspective.

Claudine is the heart-wrenching depiction of a transmasculine experience set against the backdrop of early twentieth-century France. Told from the perspective of an unnamed psychiatrist, he recounts the life and loves of Claude, the youngest child of an aristocratic French family. 

First serialised in Shueisha's Weekly Margret magazine in 1978, it's a groundbreaking work from the famed author of The Rose of Versailles. It's surprisingly progressive, despite the shortcomings expected of an older title, and presents the perfect excuse to lose yourself within Ikeda's romantic art style.