In Volume 1 of Gengoroh Tagame’s Otouto no Otto, we meet Canadian Mike Flanagan, who has come to Japan in search of his late husband’s early life. We also meet Yaichi, Mike’s husband’s older brother. Yaichi’s assumptions about life and the passive homophobia he feels are challenged by Mike’s very existence. 

In Volume 2, Yaichi begins to see his passive homophobia and start to examine it, in the context of his accepting daughter, Kana, Mike’s talk with a closeted young boy from the neighborhood and a neighbor’s negative reaction to Mike. Volume 2 ended with Yaichi having a dream of Kana growing up to be gay and waking full of uncertainty.

In Otouto no Otto, Volume 3 (弟の夫), the volume begins with Yaichi’s mind full of that dream.  Kana doesn’t help by deciding that she, Yaichi, Mike and her mother Natsuki should all go on a trip to an onsen. When Yaichi shares the dream with Kana’s mother, Natsuki’s acceptance of that future adds to Yaichi’s confusion. And he’s sharing a bath with Mike. Yaichi is absolutely bombarded with things he has never before had to deal with.

Returning from the onsen trip, Yaichi is recognized by a classmate of his brother’s. As a reader, it was almost impossible to not instantly realize that the friend was himself gay. Mike, for the first time, is brought face-to-face with the uncomfortable tension of adult gay life in Japan.

The volume ends with trouble brewing. What, specifically will happen we don’t know, but it will involve Kana, which makes us angry.

In Volume 3, the honeymoon is over. Mike’s no longer the teacher, and Yaichi, the student is flailing in deeper water than he ever realized. There’s moments of sincere discomfort and, for me, anger, as so little has changed, or can even be done. 

Tagame-sensei’s deft drawing of expression and body language communicates so much more than the text itself. It’s very adult and subtle book and assumes an adult readership, attuned to adult society. Such a pleasure to read, even when it hurts, as it surely will.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 10
LGBTQ – 10
Service – 7 (Nude guys in bath, duh)

Overall – 10

This manga reminds us that the world is changed one person at a time. 

2017 Update: Pantheon Books has released it in a gorgeous English-language (what will be 2 volume) edition. My Brother’s Husband, Volume 1 has launched!

There’s a handful of days left in the Dangerous Women Kickstarter and we’re really hoping to make a stretch goal or two.  I know that folks here are always looking for great lesbian fiction – this is a really great anthology with 13 of the most dangerous (and fun!) women you’ve ever met. 

Hypnotika – Ruthless, brilliant teacher of supervillains. Controls the media – and you. 

Estratega – Games the financial markets and takes revenge on the selfish , trying to have a dinner date, dammit. 

Samantha Corvus – Killed as a witch, just trying to take what’s hers. 

Chrome Menace – A slick as quicksilver, as strong as metal and as bitter as the tears of the forgotten.

Eden Sorrow – Willing to destroy the world to destroy one man.

Sadie – A god. A sadist. A lonely woman. A force of nature.

Mirdonna – Changing the world, one beating heart at a time

Jack – A slick talking lover, who wants to enjoy her travels, one bank and one woman along the way.

Celestite – “The Scourge of Brighthaven” facing some employment problems.

Jaguar – Channeling ancient gods to commit crimes and the only thing standing between the world and complete destruction.

Nereid – A hero whose girlfriend is an evil scientist.

Jessica Mayfair – A journalist willing to sell her soul for the perfect story.

Alex Weiss – Burnt out INTERPOL officer, hard drinker and willing to stab anyone in the back for the right deal.

If you trust my recommendations, please back this book! $5 for a DRM-free digital copy in multiple formats, only $10 for print, my sincere thanks, and Team Dangerous will probably spare your city. ^_^

The 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.

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