Winner of the 2014 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Anthology!
QU33R, from editor Rob Kirby, features 241 pages of new comics from 33 contributors—legends and new faces alike.
In 2012, Justin Hall edited a book called No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics, that took readers on a journey from the beginnings of LGBT comics history to the present day. QU33R is an all-new project featuring queer comics legends as well as new talents that picks up where No Straight Lines left off. We’ve set down our history, now QU33R shines a light on our future!
QU33R had its genesis in an all-color queer comic zine called THREE, which featured three stories by three creators or teams per issue. Rob Kirby published three installments of THREE annually from 2010 to 2012, and the series did well, garnering not only an Ignatz nomination for Outstanding Anthology or Collection but also earning Rob the Prism Comics Queer Press Grant in 2011.
Producing the anthology was immensely gratifying, but featuring just three comics and publishing only once per year meant a lot of cartoonists weren’t getting the exposure they deserved. The publishing opportunities for queer cartoonists and queer subject matter are still limited, even today, and Rob longed for a wider distribution than he was able to manage on his own. He approached Northwest Press about doing a bigger compendium of all-new work.
While THREE was happening, Justin Hall was preparing his book No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics, which Fantagraphics published in the summer of 2012. No Straight Lines traced the history of queer comics from their humble beginnings in the late 60’s/early 70’s all the way up to the present. The book was a whopping, award-winning success. Rob got to thinking that a follow-up volume—a sort-of-sequel focusing on all new work—would seal the deal, informing the world at large that we are still here, still queer, and still producing fresh and innovative work. He wanted to include not only several queer comics veterans, but also some fresh new faces and a few folks who haven’t necessarily belonged to the orthodox “queer comics scene” but have been doing non-heteronormative work all along.
QU33R features over 240 pages of new comics from a cross-generational lineup of award-winning LGBTQ cartoonists.
Comics Worth Reading –
“Dave Ebersole and Delia Gable have put together a very readable comic. I particularly like Gable’s clean lines and period detail. It’s a clever twist, too, for Dash to be rather insecure about his relationship, given how cocky the traditional noir detective can be. Dash isn’t hiding who he is — although a friendly cop makes it clear his public exercise of his emotions is illegal back then — but he’s not at all sure he can count on Johnny. Plenty of snappy dialogue, too, well-suited to the genre.” Read Johanna Draper-Carlson’s whole review on Comics Worth Reading.
cxPulp –
“This is one of those comics that’s just bound to push all the right buttons for me, as it has several things I like. First of all, the hardboiled detective, which is a trope I love, and it’s set in ’40s Los Angeles, so the art is full of those period details that always look great. Add to this a bombshell female client that he’s sure is lying to him, and a homme fatale boyfriend he’s sure he can’t trust either, and it’s a great read for me.” Read Andrea Speed’s whole review on cxPulp.
Comic Vine –
“Dash puts a spin on the traditional noir tale, keeping the aesthetic (complete with gritty ’40s setting and the femme fatale), but ditching the world-weary hardboiled detective in favor of a trope-busting protagonist.” Read Jen “Miss J” Aprahamanian’s whole review on Comic Vine.
Comic Bastards –
“Really, this story is trying to appeal to fans of the P.I. genre that are looking for a new angle on the well-worn formula. Well, look no further than Dash.” Read Dustin Cabeal’s whole review on Comic Bastards.
The Newest Rant –
“Writer Dave Ebersole gives us a suspenseful story and artist Delia Gable provides artwork that is appropriately moody, with muted colors and a slight feeling of unease that compliments the events of the story perfectly.” Read David Charles Bitterbaum’s whole review on The Newest Rant.
Broken Frontier –
“…an enjoyable and very engaging opener that takes a familiar set-up and gives it a fresh twist. Northwest Press do more than most to embody the mantra they use as their tagline: ‘comics are for everyone’.” Read Tom Murphy’s whole review on Broken Frontier.
Bag & Bored –
“…[Dash] is the story about a gay Private Detective, a mysterious Egyptian woman, a dead antique dealer, and mummies (the walking around kind), but at its heart, it’s a detective story. The rest serves the story to make it more interesting and complex, but if you’re a fan of noir, than Dave Ebersole and Deila Gable have your ticket filled.” Read Brad Gischia’s whole review on Bag & Bored.
ComicBooked.com –
“Writer Dave Ebersole and artist Delia Gable present a new classic in the making with a murder mystery that may or may not have a touch of supernatural… with a twist! Great artwork and honest storytelling create a world that is not unfamiliar to our time period, but perhaps a bit risqué for the one in which it takes place. The main character, Dash, is charming, suave, intelligent, and gay. But this is by no means a ‘gay’ comic. After all, as the publisher openly states on the covers and logos of all of their products: ‘Comics are for Everyone’. This has never been more true. I can’t wait to see how this mystery wraps up, what happens to Dash next, and if everything works out in the end. And after just two short issues, I’m sure you will be wondering the same things.” Read Jeff Hill’s review on ComicBooked.com.
Pulp Cultured –
“A great core and setting has been set up by writer Dave Ebersole and it’s apparent that the book is something that took a great deal of thought to write. Each character that we come across in Dash as their own personality that makes everyone seems authentic and in place for even the smallest bit of dialog. The fine writing is paired with some nice artwork by Delia Gable that sets a young Los Angeles up to be gorgeous.” Read Jordan Cruz’s review on Pulp Cultured.
Foxy Jazzabelle –
“A good mystery is when slowly but surely, you see how occurrences that, at first glance, don’t seem to have any connection to each other connect together in a cohesive way, and that’s what we get with Dash.” Read Foxy Jazzabelle’s full review.
Multiversity Comics –
“Taking a page from the hardboiled detective genre, “Dash” includes an out detective, Egyptian lore, lovers’ quarrels, mysterious artifacts, and a spree of homicides. Dave Ebersole and Delia Grace work together to bring out a fun and thrilling romp through an old-school Los Angeles.” Read Matthew Garcia’s review on Multiversity Comics.
Kleefeld on Comics –
“Dash is a solid story in and of itself. But what I find most intriguing is how the individuals of 1940 act and interact, knowing Dash’s sexual orientation. Who accepts him, who tolerates him, and who actively hates him. The story doesn’t at all revolve around Dash’s homosexuality, and all of the characters seem well-rounded outside of whatever relationship they have with Dash, but that identity Dash brings to the table and how others feel about that make for an interesting undercurrent that runs through the book.” Read Sean Kleefeld’s review on Kleefeld on Comics.