If there is, in 2015, a single series I would call “most-anticipated,” Tagame Gengoroh’s Otouto no Otto (弟の夫) is that series.

Tagame-sensei is best known in North America for his overtly sexual comics by about and for gay men, with an emphasis on large, hairy men (what are called “bears” in western gay vernacular). The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame and Massive, an adult anthology, are available in English.

In an interview on Tokyo Underground, Tagame-sensei  talks about drawing comics for gay men’s magazines and BL magazines. This series is his first gay series for a more mainstream men’s manga magazine, Monthly Action. This magazine is notably published by Futabasha, which also published Morinaga Milk’s GIRL FRIENDS. Clearly, there are some allies on the Futabasha staff.

The protagonist of Otouto no Otto (弟の夫) , My Brother’s Husband, is Yaichi, a single father, who has been estranged from his now late twin brother for many years. The volume begins on the day his brother’s widower, Mike Flanagan, arrives at Yaichi’s home. Yaichi is not at all comfortable with Mike, or the fact that his brother was gay, or married, but Kana, his daughter, can’t see the problem. The only problem she sees is that she had no idea she had an uncle at all! So when she invites Mike to stay, Yaichi can’t really say no.

The story is both realistic and very poignant, as Mike tries to stay close to his husband by visiting places from his past…and as Yaichi has to deal with the fact that he never really accepted his brother for who he was. Kana is terribly excited to share her newfound uncle with friends, and the only disapproval she expresses is when she learns that in Canada men can marry men, and women can marry women, but not in Japan. “That’s weird,” she says to which Yaichi responds “Right?” She explains patiently, “Its weird that they can’t marry each other here.”

Mike is instantly likable and his emotional range is refreshing and unusual in a manga. Yaichi is the more stereotypical manga male, his emotions left unexpressed and unresolved, while Mike, who is trying so hard to not offend, breaks down in open grief when given his husband’s boyhood bedroom to sleep in.

Overall, one of the most real comics I’ve ever read. Everyone is utterly believable, from Yaichi’s, quiet, non-violent, but omnipresent homophobia, to Kana and her friends’ curiosity about this completely new concept.

The manga ends with Kana’s mother coming over, which will throw another level of complexity into the mix. We do not yet know what her and Yaichi’s relationship is. How will she react to Mike? It’s an interesting cliffhanger for this family drama. Having said that, you know, this would make an excellent live-action TV drama.

Tagame’s art is lovely, favoring simple, realistic backgrounds and some great body language. And there’s a fair dollop of service for people who find the male body appealing. No willowy, long-haired bishounen, these are men with body hair and male genitalia.

I strongly recommend this series, but even more, I strongly hope that you’ll buy the book itself, even if you read it in scans. Your money will support the author and the magazine that threw itself into the ring for work like this. More realistic LGBTQ work in mainstream manga magazine is a very good thing. Think about it – this is a comic about gay men, running in a men’s manga magazine. Not an audience you’d think that would be terribly receptive to a comic about a big, muscular man grieving over the loss of his husband. And yet, so far the feedback seems to be positive.

I know what you’re all thinking right now …”Will it come out in English?” As of 2017, the answer is, yes! Pantheon Books has released it in a gorgeous English-language (what will be 2 volume) edition. My Brother’s Husband, Volume 1 has launched!

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 10
LGBTQ – 10
Service – 4

Overall – 10

For a hotly anticipated series, I have to say, Otouto no Otto actually  manages to exceed expectations. And now I will anticipate Volume 2, when it becomes available.

Earlier this year, the Side-by-Side film festival,  focusing on LGBTQ movies, was held in St. Petersburg, Russia. Despite a strongly homophobic climate right now, folks braved 5 bomb threats over ten days to enjoy and discuss LGBTQ films from around the world.

To support their work, they created a comic anthology, starring comics creators from Europe, Russia and America. How Much Queer Work is that comic anthology. I was privileged to obtain a copy at the Queer and Comics conference last spring. The anthology is self-described as having 18 well known authors, including Jennifer Camper (USA), Helene Junecic (Croatia), Ariel Schrag (USA), Tiitu Takalo (Finland) and from Russia Viktoria Lomasko and Lena Hek, have their work presented in the volume. Stories of coming out, first-love, discrimination, gender identity and much more drawn in different comic artistic styles.

Many of the USA creators are well-known to us, Jennifer Camper, co-founder of Queer & Comics, Howard Cruse, one of the pioneers of Gay Comix and creator of Wendel, Ariel Schrag, Justin Hall, Roberta Gregory, are all folks I have had the pleasure of meeting. And in many cases, I’ve read and enjoyed their works. So the content that interested me most were from European creators I was less familiar with.

I very much enjoyed Anna Bas Backer’s tale of two friends, one about to embark upon a transition. Viktoria Lomasko’s illustrated essay on the circumstances of the festival, literally surrounded by threat of violence and hatred, and the internal misogyny and distrust was painful to read, but vital.

And Elke R. Steiner’s work of an awkward youthful relationship in a Christian environment was both excellent and stereotypical…making me long for the day when tales like this go unneeded.

Tiitu Takalo’s art deserves a special call out, as it acts as filler pages between the stories and in and of itself, tells many stories. I loved Takalo’s use of body language in many different styles.

The cover by Helene Janecic recalls to mind the American classic figure Rose the Riveter, and the Soviet glorification of the worker in a pose that indicates to us that while a great deal of work has been done, there is so, so much more to do.

During a summer in which those of us in the USA were celebrating the legitimization of our relationships, it was important to remind ourselves that for LGBTQ communities in Russia and elsewhere, the past few years have seen significant changes for the negative.  There is still so much queer work yet to be done.

Ratings:

Overall – 9

Some of the best the world has to offer, gathered together. I love anthologies for their constant reminder that our stories, told over and over as they are, are still pertinent to someone, somewhere, who believe that they alone feel this way.