The Local Queer

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this art style…. so beloved i feel so cool

I love the shirt sm

My latest comic for The Nib was written by my friend Mike Thompson- it’s his first published comics work! 

The Nib has been a steady source of income and a huge support to me and many other indie cartoonists for years. They publish amazing work, but will be cut loose by their financial backer in July. You can read the official post about it from editor Matt Bors here.  They are still running their kickstarter-funded print magazine, but have to put digital publishing on hiatus until they figure out their next steps. If you’ve been thinking about supporting their membership program, now would be a good time. They have levels from $2 to $40 per month. I really don’t want this to be my last Nib piece! 

Nico coming out to Hazel

Art + Fic because I’ve had this small fic sitting around in my drafts for awhile and felt like publishing it. Thanks to everyone who came to my stream!! Drawing this one was a lot of fun.

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“Yeah, I uh…” Nico’s gaze was faraway, and he began to twist at the ring on his index finger. Nico sighed and looked away. “Forget it.”

Hazel stuck out her lower lip. “Nico, what’s been eating at you?” She murmured tenderly. Hazel took a step closer to her brother, and Nico shuffled his feet in response. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you disappearing again.” She blinked slowly, not looking away from Nico’s dark, hollow eyes. He wouldn’t meet Hazel’s gaze. “C'mon, sit down at least.” She reached out and gave a little tug to Nico’s wrist.

They sat down at the base of a tree and gazed out at Camp Half-Blood’s morning-bustling troopers. They were far enough away, though, that they couldn’t hear more than an occasional pegasus whinny from the stables or giggle of the naiads in the nearby lake. Nico stayed quiet, and the two siblings sat in silence, listening to the stream.

Hazel shuffled through the river rocks at their feet and handed Nico a smooth, flat one that. “Here, watch me.”

Nico tossed his gaze over at Hazel, then at the rock before taking it from her hands. He followed Hazel’s lead when she threw the stone into the river, except Nico managed to skipped his three times.

“If there’s… Something you want to talk about, I’m all ears.” Hazel spoke quietly.

>>The rest of the mini fic under the cut:

You exist.

You are valid.

You are not problematic or lesbophobic.

You are important.

You are kind.

You are wonderful.

a black girl character growing her hair out long breaks more stereotypes than a black girl character having short hair

a black girl character getting to be soft and fragile breaks more stereotypes than a black girl character being strong all the time

a black girl character being protected and comforted by others breaks more stereotypes than a black girl character having no one to look out for her but herself

a black girl character being considered pretty or cute by other characters breaks more stereotypes than a black girl character being considered unattractive

not everything that is empowering for white girls is empowering for black girls