Archive for the LGBTQ Category


LGBTQ Comic: The Other Side Anthology

October 30th, 2016

toaqpraThe last few years have been stellar for independent queer comics. The number of successful Kickstarters is growing and the market is, as well. Shows like Nijicon and Flamecon, and GaymerX prove that the LGBTQ geek market is here to stay.

Even more importantly, now that this is an established market, it’s beginning to mature. We’re looking for stories that go beyond the tropes of “Am I gay? I am gay!” or “But we’re both girls/guys” plot complications. Which is where the anthologies of the last few years have relly stepped up.

Beyond, Alphabet, Valor, Dates, have all taken a look at LGBTQ life and romance outside “coming out,” each with a different focus. Science-fiction, the whole spectrum of sexuality, fairy tales, historical settings, each have gotten an entire volume to explore possibilities, with the help and support of the queer comics audience. And today we’ll look at an anthology that takes a look at queer romance through the lens of the paranormal.

Contributors to this volume are diverse and some of the names are well-known to us here on Okazu – Mildred Louis, Kori Michelle Handwerker, Melanie Gillman, Kate Leth and many others.

I’m not particularly a fan of paranormal romance and short stories are a brutally difficult tool with which to grab an audience – just as they become engaged, the story is over – but nonetheless there were some touching and fun stories, many of which involve ghosts. My two favorite were Terra Verde (and I have to now admit that I have a weakness for lesbian westerns which is a little distressing) and Third Circle Pizza. But there were many other stories that left me with a smile.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

With the stylish cover by Milded Louis and the wide variety of art and storytelling styles inside, I’d consider The Other Side a terrific LGBTQ comic anthology. It’s available in print and digitally through Comixology.





Dangerous Women want *you* to help them take over the world.

October 23rd, 2016

We are just shy of our initial goal on Dangerous Women and we are looking at some really fantastic stretch goals if we can get there. Backing Dangerous Women gets you fantastic stories of evil psycho lesbians you’ll love and give creator bonuses and more!

It’s time to join the wrong side and be a little more selfish. Go on, join us on Team Dangerous.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zan/dangerous-women-tales-of-queer-villainy

 





Live Action: The Handmaiden (English)

October 10th, 2016

the_handmaiden_filmThe Handmaiden, from director Park Chan-wook is, in a word, spectacular.

Based on Sarah Water’s exceptional novel Fingersmith (which itself was given the live-action treatment as a BBC miniseries), The Handmaiden is a pretty fair retelling of the story, set in Japanese-occupied Korea.

Kim Tae-ri plays Sook-hee, the small-time thief and conwoman recruited to become a maid for a wealthy eccentric’s ward, Hideko, played by Kim Min-hee. Both actresses were fantastic and, had I not already known the story, would have blown me away at the plot twists.

The setting works. The characters switch back and forth between Japanese and Korean fluidly, each language functioning as it’s own symbol. The clothing and homes presented are a pretty wonderful period setting. But the thing that seemed strangest at the beginning of the movie, the main house being of western design, makes perfect sense in creating a space that is nowhere and nowhen, even as the story particulars place the story firmly in a particular place and time.

Like the book, the first part of the story is told twice, once from each woman’s perspective and, like the book, it’s eyebrow-raising to realize just how much seeing it from one perspective changes everything. The final part of the movie is where it deviates from the novel, but other than one scene that could have been cut out completely, the end is satisfying, if a bit pandering.

If you’re a long-time reader here, you know my biggest gripe about Japanese live-action is the pacing and lack of appropriate intimacy. Kisses are dry-mouthed and passionless. Korean live-action works do not suffer from either of these problems. I’m not a huge consumer of Korean dramas or movies, but every one that I’ve watched has been smartly paced and the romance or sex has been appropriate to the story.

Which brings me to the sex. There is some. And the camera gets way closer than I like, but otherwise is fine. Unlike other viewers, I prefer to imagine that I’m not in there with them, that I’m not part of the scene at all. Not as voyeur or participant. That said, the sex is only slightly cinematic and thankfully, not extended to the point of being boring. (Which was part of the problem with Blue is the Warmest Color, that the sex scenes went on and on and on and on… the actresses became exhausted and the comic creator was disgusted.)

There are some deviations from the book – several are consistent with the characters as they are presented. The penultimate scene and final scene could have been cut whole and nothing would have been lost. But the movie still was a pretty solid adaptation of an excellent book – and how often do I say that?

The movie will be coming out from Magnolia Pictures in English on October 21, 2016 and will be available on Amazon Instant Video. I recommend it highly. Check out the trailer for yourself.

Ratings:

Characters – 9
Story 9 (Except for the last bit)
Cinematography – 9
Lesbian – 10

Overall – 9

There is some graphic violence (and some implication of other icky things) but it’s not what you think.





Dangerous Women Kickstarter is Live!

October 9th, 2016

Dangerous Women: Tales of Queer Villainy, from Northwest Press “Yes, you burn with passion, yes, you desire vengeance and control, of course you have devastating plans and amazing powers, but there is so much more to supervillainy than that.”

Dangerous Women: Tales of Queer Villainy, from Northwest Press features 13 stories by queer, non binary and women of color authors about queer, non-binary and women of color supervillians. Get to know mad scientists, evil geniuses, master manipulators and superpowered sociopaths and their wives and girlfriends. ^_^

The Kickstarter for Dangerous Women is open and waiting for you to pitch in as a lackey or henchick.

If we hit our stretch goals on the kickstarter, the creators will get bonuses, so your support is very important to us. For as little as $5, you can get a DRM-free digital copy and as little as $10 gets you a print volume! Support Dangerous Women…and you might get to live. ^_^

 

 





YNN Special Report – “Dangerous Women” is Coming

October 1st, 2016
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“Eden could tell that she made Grey nervous. She liked that.” – From “Eden’s Revenge, by Missouri Vaun

The gold rush in California beckons. They say a man can make his fortune there, but I intend to be a queen.

Dangerous Women is coming.

A killing spree hadn’t been a part of her plans but she rarely plans. Chaos is its own reward.

Dangerous Women: Tales of Queer Villiany, is a new anthology from our friends at Northwest Press, featuring 13 stories by Tristan Tarwater, Leia Weathington, JD Glass, Susan Smith, Erica Friedman, Jude McLaughlin, Barbara Ann Wright, Mari Kurisato, Claire Monserrat Jackson, Audrey Chase, Missouri Vaun, Merc Rustad, and Emily Singer.

“If I asked,” she murmurs, her voice like molten honey, “would you give me your heart?”

I swallow. “Literally or figuratively?”

The Kickstarter for this spectacular anthology, for which I was both editor and contributor will be launched next week at Geek Girl Con in Seattle.  Look for the Northwest Press booth and find out about more, meet some of the contributors and be part of this special book.

“Mom and Dad are such decent people.  I can’t imagine what they’d think of me if they knew about the… killing part.”

Evil. Was it born this way? Maybe these villains knew from the very beginning, maybe not, but by the time you get to meet them, they’ve come through the crucible and learned to accept themselves for who they are.

“What kind of villainess appears and disappears in a flurry of heart-shaped petals? Me, apparently.”

Please consider supporting this anthology. We’ve kicked butt writing it for you. ^_^

“Alex deepened her smile and did the thing where she squinted a bit to make it look as if she felt a deep camaraderie and affection for these people. She had gotten quite good at it.”

Dangerous Women is coming. Are you ready for it?