Queer Filipino Komiks You Should Read ASAP

The local komiks scene continues to thrive with fresh titles from established and up-and-coming artists. This is especially true for queer titles. If you are looking for Filipino komiks featuring queer characters and stories, make sure to check these out:

Sari-Sari Story by Kar Vic

Synopsis:  Welcome to Big Dipper Sari-Sari Mall where you can find ANYTHING from the freshest vegetables to your favorite snacks, clothes, kitchenware, love triangles, and toiletries! And oh, did I mention love triangles? Join Sean, Mon, and our cutest mascot Dipper as they deal with friendship, love, heartaches, and fun inside the four corners of the store.

Ang Jowa Kong Crosswise by Tsambolero

Synopsis: Ang Jowa Kong Crosswise chronicles the life and times of Tomas and Leo, who are, for all intents and purposes, an unremarkably average couple in their mid-twenties… or so it would seem. Tomas is actually a self-segmenting winged creature of the night, while Leo is, well, just Leo. Take an intimate peek into the mundanities of their relationship and watch as this extraordinary pair go through their very ordinary lives.

Nang Mainlove Ako Sa Isang Sakristan by Richard Mercado

Synopsis: 17-year-old boys Francis and Didoy got caught kissing at the back of the subdivision chapel. Out of shock, the two boys decide to escape humiliation on a journey they’ll likely never forget.

It’s More Than That… by Richard Mercado

Synopsis: It’s More Than That is a coming-of-age comic about a teenager coming to terms with his sexuality.

Ang Kagila-gilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa Zaturnnah and Zsazsa Zaturnnah sa Kalakhang Maynila by Carlo Vergara

Synopsis: Zsazsa Zaturnnah tells the story of Ada, a cynical resident of a small provincial town, who gains superhuman abilities through a stone that falls from the heavens. With the ability to transform into the voluptuous and powerful Zaturnnah, Ada defends his hometown from dangerous otherworldly threats.

Synopsis: After defeating a giant frog, a horde of zombies, and the extraterrestrial Amazonista, small-town beautician Ada begins a new chapter by moving to the big city with hunky Dodong, and taking up residence in the old house of his friend Gwyneth. Not only does earning his keep prove more difficult, Ada also finds himself dealing with a haunting past, the return of the Zaturnnah stone, new enemies and allies, startling revelations, true confessions, and the prospect of a new–and complicated–romance. Can Ada survive a place that seeks to wear out his mind, his body… and his heart?

Dead Balagtas Tomo 1: Mga Sayaw ng Dagat at Lupa by Emiliana Kampilan

Synopsis: Dead Balagtas is the first and most creative comics about the long and colorful history of the Philippines. In this first volume, a wise babaylan tells the story of the birth of the universe from the passionate love between Tungkung Langit and Laon Sina. Witness the rise of the continents, the clash of oceans, and the romance of sea and earth—forces that shaped and continue to mold our home and nation, the Philippines.

Dante, Damian, and Pascal the Pusang Kalye by Levi Sabarre

Synopsis: A collection of comical anecdotes about the life of a policeman named Dante, his partner and tricycle driver named Damian, and their wisecracking attitude-giving cat named Pascal.

Thirsty: A Filipino Boys Love Anthology, edited by Komiket

Synopsis: From the hopelessly romantic schoolboy crushes to the hot and steamy fantasy of your dreams – [Komiket is] serving fifteen thirst-quenching stories in this Filipino boys’ love anthology. There are a lot of boys to love, so stay thirsty.

Rurok, edited by Komiket

 

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Synopsis: There is no reason to be ashamed. Sexual desires are primal, universal, human emotions and experiences. Whether it’s what you love to give or to receive, the aim is for artists, comics creators, and illustrators to explore the psychology of Filipino erotica through this comics and art anthology.

Kilig, edited by Komiket

Synopsis: The heart starts to race, blood rushes to our face, butterflies flutter in our stomachs, and with rose-colored glasses, the universe appears to conspire in our favor – this is the romantic excitement called kilig. This romance comics anthology is a once-upon-a-time collaboration between RomanceClass Books and Komiket. All stories fulfill the required Happily Ever After or Happy For Now endings of romances. Kilig is a mix of stories spanning different sexual orientations and identities.

LGBTQ+ Kommunity 2019

Synopsis: From award-winning comic book authors and prolific art market and convention regulars to the names behind the most shared comic pages on social media, meet the LGBTQ+ creators in your neighborhood.

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