Have you already caught the new season of Heartstopper? We’re already back in our Heartstopper obsession, and this season has made us fall even further in love with all of the characters, romances and storylines! But what happens after the credits roll or readers close the back cover of Volume 4?
While we’re all anticipating Volume 5’s release in December, we have some incredible graphic novels that series fans will fall head-over-heels for. We’ve sprinkled plenty of queerness, coming-of-age joy, and heart-warmy-ness into this list, so make like our favourite bookworm, Isaac, and get reading!
Us by Sara Soler, Silvia Perea Labayen & Joamette Gil
9781506734187 | Dark Horse | Paperback | Available August 2023 | £17.99
Heartstopper has some of the best representation when it comes to young, queer couples — the romance is so on point, and we love the way they help each other navigate their own self-discoveries and coming out moments. If you want to stay on the love train, Us is a gorgeous pick. This graphic memoir tells the true love story of Sara and Diana, and the story of Diana’s gender transition. Full of humour, heartache, and the everyday triumphs and struggles of identity, this has both sweet illlustrations and a deep story to be told.
Basil and Oregano by Melissa Capriglione
9781506728704 | Dark Horse | Paperback | Available Now | £18.99
Basil and Oregano is the adorable sapphic romance readers have been searching for! This cute-sy manga mixes two parts The Great British Bake Off with one-part magical boarding school… I know, right?! This one is for the Heartstopper fans who get excited whenever they get to see Tara and Darcy on screen — Basil and Oregano bring that same bubbly, sweet energy.
Youth by Alex Diotto, Curt Pires & Dee Cunniffe
9781506724614 | Dark Horse | Paperback | Available Now | £18.99
Youth is another must-read queer coming-of-age, but with more of a dark twist to it. Self-described as ‘X-Men by way of Frank Ocean’, Youth tells the story of two teenagers running away from their lives in a bigoted small town. As the two make their way to California, they get entangled with a group of fellow misfits also trying to find themselves. With a heartwarming representation of queer youth, and some supernatural twists along the way, this is a really fun graphic novel — and there are already two volumes out from Dark Horse!
Merry-Go-Round by Sergio Rossi & Agnese Innocente
9781506736594 | Dark Horse | Paperback | Available Now | £18.99
Something charming about Heartstopper is the way it tells so many different stories — each character is on their own journey and coming into their own identity in unique ways. Merry-Go-Round offers a similar ensemble cast of rag tag teenagers working themselves out. From love triangles, to missed appointments, this one offers a down-to-earth and relatable read about the everyday romance, stress, and excitement of growing up.
Paper Planes by Jennie Wood & Dozerdraws
9781952303548 | Maverick | Paperback | Available August 2023 | £14.99
Former best friends Dylan and Leighton find themselves thrown together at a summer camp for troubled youth. With only each other to keep themselves afloat, can they salvage their lost friendship and come to terms with the incident that brought them both to the camp? Another stellar queer coming of age, and a brilliant look at recovering friendship.
Alone in Space — A Collection by Tillie Walden
9781910395585 | Avery Hill Publishing | Hardback | Available Now | £24.99
You may have already spotted Tillie Walden’s book I Love This Part in Isaac’s hands this season, and we are so thrilled that he loves Tillie Walden as much as we do! Tillie’s latest collection from Avery Hill includes the deeply moving small-town sapphic romance, I Love This Part, and even more gorgeous stories to enjoy. Each one is stylistic perfection, and they all include elements of queer love, fantasy, coming-of-age, and cats. If you’re already a Tillie fan, you’ll also find never-before collected early sketches and webcomics!
Lights, Planets, People! by Lizzy Stewart & Molly Naylor
9781910395615 | Avery Hill Publishing | Hardback | Available Now | £16.99
An essential element of Heartstopper is how Oseman paints an honest portrait of teen mental health. Bullying, anxiety, eating disorders, and complex home lives are represented and explored in such an intimate and relatable way for young fans. Here is a really intimate and comforting graphic novel that explores those themes in an equally intimate way.
Firstly, Lights, Planets, People! is both visually and textually beautiful. In the book, renowned astronomer Maggie Hill is working to inspire young women in science whilst also attempting to overcome her debilitating anxiety. Showing Maggie’s experiences with therapy, interpersonal communication, and intergalactic research, this is both a comforting and insightful read.
All the Places in Between by John Cei Douglas
9781912634231 | Liminal 11 | Paperback | Available Now | £11.99
Also taking a look at anxiety and mental health, All the Places in Between is a wordless graphic novel taking on the feeling of not being able to communicate how things feel when we’re lost. John Cei Douglas uses illustrations to demonstrate the loneliness of mental health struggles, but also the hope we need to cling onto in our darkest times. Relatable and quietly beautiful, this is a comforting reminder that we are not alone on our journeys.
Light Carries On by Ray Nadine
9781506726373 | Dark Horse | Hardback | Available Now | £18.99
Our penultimate recommendation for this list is a graphic novel that blends relationships, grief, empathy, queer joy, and healing into one unmissable story. Reeling from splitting up with his boyfriend and struggling to become a photographer, Leon becomes surprisingly entangled by the ghost of a queer punk rocker trapped in an antique camera. The two get closer as they travel around Chicago showing each other the landmarks of their pasts and trying to unearth the secret. This one tackles tricky themes of grief and trauma, whilst remaining lighthearted and touching — very much like the stories in Heartstopper.
Tamlin by Aven Wildsmith
9781999671365 | Knight Errant | Paperback | Available Now | £10
Last but definitely not least, our final pick is the whimsical Tamlin, an LGBTQIA+ reimagining of a legendary Scottish ballad. Capturing this gorgeous Scottish folklore, Wildsmith captures our imaginations and our hearts with their expressive art style and poetic retelling. This is a beautiful representation of queerness and a captivating read!
