If there has been one good constant about the 2020s, it is that there has been a plethora of delightful indie comics of all genres and art styles, by passionate and talented creators. These titles are those that were either self-published, originally written for the ShortBox Comics Fair, or published through small independent publishers. They all showcase a true love for the unique forms of storytelling that comics can create and fill me with delight upon reading them. I sincerely hope that you can find at least one new title to enjoy from this list.
A few notes before properly diving into the list. Firstly the majority of the titles presented here are digital only, but a few of them (specifically LSBN, My Date is a Total Ike Woman, Silhouette of the Sea Breeze, The Single Life, and Witching Hour) have physical release options and How to Break a Curse is only available as a physical book. Secondly, I have helped contribute to the publication of several of the comics on this list through crowdfunding campaigns so, for transparency, I have indicated which titles those are. Finally, these comics are personally recommended for readers aged thirteen or older as they all cover topics and themes that are not appropriate for young children. The only exception is ‘rainy summer day’, which can be enjoyed by readers of any age. Each comic has content and trigger warnings where appropriate.
The cover of the comic “Daisy Bush” by 4threset. A naked individual, with shoulder-length brown hair, lays on their side in a field of daisies, their body shining as the golden light of the sun hits them. A black wing partially covers their face to block out the light.
Originally written for the 2023 ShortBox Comics Fair. In this melancholic comic, Aspen finds an angel in the daisy bushes of his greenhouse. An emotionally moving tale about moving forward after losing those who mean so much to us.
Trigger warnings: Self-harm, implied suicide and abuse
A cropped image of the second volume of the comic series “Finding Home” by Hari Conner. Two men sit by a fire, in a forest next to a river. The man on the left is human, while the one on the right is fae with green hair full of flowers. They are gazing into each other’s eyes, the human looking fond and blushing slightly while the fae looks wary and guarded.
Hari Conner’s excellent LGBTQ+ fantasy romance webcomic Finding Home reached its well-earned conclusion last year, wrapping up a delightful tale of two people literally, and metaphorically, finding a home together. A delightful character-focused story whose writing is smart in its worldbuilding and entirely heartfelt.
Content warnings: The story addresses trauma, a past abusive relationship, discrimination, and mental health issues (including substance abuse). Brief instances of implied sexual content. Chapters and pages that feature such content are highlighted by the author. The author recommends this comic for readers aged 16 and older
The cover of the comic “How to Break a Curse” by mapurl. Two women are gazing at a poster, which has the title of the comic, implying a connection. A figure with dark glasses and a fancy hat occupies the poster. The women gazing at the poster have their backs to the viewer, but they are both visibly intrigued by its contents
How to Break a Curse by mapurl
Originally written for the 2022 ShortBox Comics Fair. mapurl’s How to Break a Curse focuses on two women who have come to a town to have their curses broken. One is cursed to have all of her relationships end in heartbreak, while the other one is cursed to have all of her relationships end without heartbreak. A charming character-focused story about the value of connection.
Content warnings: Discussion of death
The cover of the graphic novella “LSBN” by Emma Jayne. A humanoid-mecha, with purple and pink paint and green lights, stands front and center in the cover, holding two women in its hands. The women are intensely gazing at each other, their expressions hesitant. The woman on the left is dressed in a blue and yellow pilot’s outfit, and the woman on the right is wearing a white and green lab coat
LSBN by Emma Jayne (Physical Edition) (Digital Edition)
Colorist: Sloane Leong
Published by: Silver Sprocket
The war between humanity and the Collusus has unexpectedly ended. While the rest of the world rejoices, Commander Kyoko Sugimoto and her lead engineer Mischa Polyakov, find it difficult to celebrate as it means the giant mecha they’ve spent three years of their lives developing to defend humanity is now worthless. A hopeful queer, sci-fi graphic novella that asks what we can do to move forward and change.
Content warnings: Sex, some blood. For adult readers.
The cover of the manga “My Date is a Total Ike Woman” by Mutsumi Natsuo. Two people are on the center of the cover, the woman standing on the right holding the non-binary person in their arms in a “bridal style” carry. They are both gazing at each other’s eyes. The non-binary person has a fond expression on their face, and is holding the woman’s face in their right hand, and bracing themself with their left hand on the woman’s shoulder. The woman has a stoic expression, and is holding the non-binary person by the hip with her right hand and their lower legs in her left hand. They are both butch in that they have very short hair, long-sleeved jackets that are typically viewed as “masculine”, and pants.
My Date is a Total Ike Woman by Mutsumi Natsuo
Published by: TOMBOYS
(Translation by: tsuk. Lettering by: Red String Translations)
Disclosure: I was a backer of this manga’s Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign
Butches, and massive otaku, Asahi Yadate and Ushio Toudou meet up for a date at a local theme park showcasing their favourite characters. Both are convinced that their date is way out of their league, but in reality, they have much more in common than they had originally realized. A heartfelt manga about the joy that comes from finding someone who fully loves and accepts you for who you are.
Content warnings: Discussions and depiction of gender essentialism, cissexism, and sexism. Some sexual humour in a side story
The cover of the comic “Pearl Hunting” by Hana Chatani. Three women occupy the cover, one in the background and two in the foreground. The woman in the background stands demurely, wearing a traditional working-class kimono, with her hands folded in front of her, her face unseen. The two women in the foreground are sitting, wearing more contemporary outfits, shirts and pants with purple rubber boots. They are both holding oysters; the woman on the left holding an unopened oyster in her left hand and a knife in her right hand; the woman on the right is holding an opened oyster in her right hand and is scooping through it with her left hand. The woman on the left is gazing at the woman on the right, while the woman on the right’s eyes are closed and looking toward the oyster. Five white pearls are scattered across the title page. The background behind the women is amaranth red with numerous water reeds
Originally written for the 2023 ShortBox Comics Fair. In this haunting tale, two friends sit at the water shore and share stories about mermaids. One friend’s story is of a childish wish, but the other’s is a much grimmer tale. A masterful work with extremely effective foreshadowing, wonderfully panelled art, and an engaging ghost story. For those who enjoy a good folktale.
Content warnings: Violence, mild gore, death, mild nudity
The cover of the comic “‘rainy summer day’” by Linnea Sterte. The cover has an anthropomorphic frog standing in the bottom left of the cover, wearing a swimming tube. Water comes up to the frog’s ankles. To their right is the land with a variety of plants and flowers, including one flower, possibly a swamp lantern, that has angled itself to be nearly directly above the frog. A bird is seen flying in the upper right corner of the cover. The only colours present on this cover are various shades of green and ivory, with thin black lines detailing the elements of the cover
‘rainy summer day’ by Linnea Sterte
A short, soothing comic about frogs and toads enjoying a rainy summer day together. Utterly delightful, its lines and colours are reminiscent of a storybook that readers of all ages can enjoy.
The cover of the comic “See You Again, Maybe” by Vivian Nguyen (LaweyD). A woman stands in the right-center of the foreground, coloured in bright pinks and yellows making her stand out in contrast to the dark colours around her. She is looking forward, a blasé expression on her face. She is holding a mop in her right hand, which she has slung over her right shoulder like a lance, and is holding a bucket full of cleaning supplies in her left hand. In the background, a gothic-style house looms behind the woman, with very few green and blue highlights to distinguish its features. Four figures stand in the large circular window directly above the woman in the foreground.
See You Again, Maybe by Vivian Nguyen (LaweyD)
Originally written for the 2022 ShortBox Comics Fair. After unexpectedly getting fired, April stumbles upon a house cleaning opportunity that seems to solve all her problems. But the more time spent cleaning the strange house, the more memories she seems to uncover. A dreamy comic about processing memories, grief, and moving forward.
Content warnings: Death, children in peril, a major weather event, and depiction of the process of grieving
The cover of the manga “Silhouette of the Sea Breeze” by Nekobungi Sumire. The cover is focused on two women, a cat-woman on the left and a human woman on the right. The cat-woman is looking away from the human, who is holding her face, embarrassed and slightly flushed. The human woman is looking towards the cat-woman with interest, and holding the cat-woman’s face up with her right hand. Rosy sunlight highlights both figures
Silhouette of the Sea Breeze (Physical Edition) (Digital Edition) by Nekobungi Sumire
Published by: Amaitorte
One of my favourite yuri manga of 2023, Nekobungi Sumire’s Silhouette of the Sea Breeze is a delightful oneshot for those who enjoy slice-of-life elements in their speculative fiction. A quiet, character-driven story about a cat-eared woman and the mysterious woman who frequents her restaurant, Sumire has crafted a world that you wish you had more time to experience.
Content warnings: A character in peril, which may be distressing for those who are claustrophobic and/or have a fear of drowning/water
The cover of the comic “The Hearth and the Stone” by E.C. Ibes. Two women stand, gazing lovingly at each other. The woman on the left is wearing white and black priestess garb and has gently placed her right hand over the other woman’s heart. The woman on the right is wearing a furred coat, her right hand holding a spear that is placed behind the other woman to shield her. On the left and right sides of the cover are various images of the world, such as the moon, a river, mushrooms, and the sun. The images on the left symbolize aspects of the woman on the left’s life, and the images on the right symbolize aspects of the woman on the right’s life.
The Hearth and the Stone (Physical Edition) (Digital Edition) by E.C. Ibes
Disclosure: I was a backer of this comic’s Zoop crowdfunding campaign for the physical edition
Pakora has been summoned by her mothers to attend the Winter Harvest Festival, but she is dreading going as she has no sufficient offerings or a bride to marry. Resigned to face their disappointment, she is surprised to find a woman claiming to be the Matriarch Goddess Audra, appearing and calling herself Pakora’s bride. A delightful character-focused fantasy story with excellent visuals and worldbuilding.
Content warnings: Infrequent violence and blood, mild nudity, and depictions of emotional abuse from parents. The author recommends this comic for readers aged 13 and older
The cover of the manga “The Single Life” Volume 1 by Akiko (aka Akiko Morishima). The cover is set in a modern living room, with a middle-aged woman in the center. The woman is squatting, facing the left, looking at a large plant sitting on the left of the cover, and holding a plant mister in her right hand, watering the plant. Two other plants are on the cupboard in the background, and three books focused on plants on the two wall bookshelves.
The Single Life Volume 1 (Physical Edition) (Digital Edition) by Akiko (Akiko Morishima)
Miyuki Imamura, a single lesbian, celebrates her sixtieth birthday in comfort. While she enjoys her solitary life, reaching a milestone year has caused a great deal of self-reflection on her life and relationships. A thoughtful examination into the lives, joys, and experiences of queer women across time.
Content warnings: Workplace sexism, double standards based on gender, past compulsory heterosexuality
Cover of the comic “The Stranger” by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell. Two women are sitting at a table in the bottom half of the cover page, each having a hand on the table with their fingertips almost touching. They are surrounded by various foliage from trees, to flowers, and plants, that are coloured golden-yellow. The woman sitting on the left is coloured golden-yellow like the plants, her messy long hair hiding her face and long-sleeved shirt and skirt obscuring her body language. The woman on the right is portrayed as a white silhouette, with very few personal details visible from her outline such as having short-hair, a long-sleeved shirt and pants. The fact that the woman on the right is a silhouette implies her being detached from the rest of the scene despite being present in it.
The Stranger by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell
An elderly woman, who is losing her memory, is given an android that resembles her late wife. An exceptionally comic, in both its illustrations and writing, that delivers a strong emotional punch in a short number of pages.
Content warnings: Death and memory loss
Cover of the comic “The Things We Carve” by Chan Chau. A man sits in the center of the cover, his left arm braced on the floor below him and his right hand placed on his legs. He is looking to the left of a cover with a pensive expression on his face. A whittled piece of wood appears to be merged with the man from below his knees, and red and white wood shavings surround the man, implying a symbolic connection between the two. A red and white wood carving knife is posed above the man’s head. Various red and white branches surround the man. Various smooth brown wooden curves surround the cover.
The Things We Carve by Chan Chau
Originally written for the 2023 ShortBox Comics Fair. Broomsquire Frederick has been trying to carve a broom for himself but has been unsatisfied with the results. Thankfully, his friend Leonard offers a fresh new perspective. A heartwarming story about creativity, and the meanings we ascribe to what we create.
The cover of the comic “Witching Hour” by Beth Fuller. The cover takes place within a subway car, looking towards the door to the next connecting car. The connected car leads towards a forest area, where the doors to the car have become flowering trees, and various flora appear on the floor of the subway, forming a subtle path for the man in the cover’s foreground. A man sits on one of the seats, looking towards the next subway car, clearly transfixed by what he’s seeing. The man is wearing a green suit has a green watch on his left hand, and is holding a metal briefcase in his lap propped up by his left hand. In the background, a girl wearing a hoodie and backpack looks at the man. She is only coloured in white, with very few details given to her appearance
Witching Hour (Physical Edition) (Digital Edition) by Beth Fuller
Published by: Quindrie Press
Letterer: Eve Greenwood
Editors: Hari Conner and Eve Greenwood
Disclosure: I was a backer of this comic’s Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign
Esio travels through the fae realm in the hopes of having her wish granted. She knows the rules, and what to expect, but she wasn’t anticipating running into a dishevelled and confused stockbroker who has stumbled into the realm by accident. With gorgeous colours and stunning linework, Witching Hour is an utter delight to read and experience.
Image Sources: All images of these comics belong to their respective artists and publishers. Creators and publishers are free to contact me if they wish to have the entry discussing their work edited, or removed, or to have any image descriptions edited or changed for clarity.