A semi-autobiographical comic about what a successful queer poly love story can look like and an offering on how one might go about navigating the complicated feelings that can accompany this journey.
Hazel is our main protagonist, a cute and shy nerd who wears her heart on her sleeve. She lives in New York City and works as a comic book artist. She is home in Portland visiting her family over the holidays.
Gregor is a fellow New York City comic artist that Hazel is dating. He is also dating a girl from out of town named Rebecca, and they are set to meet in NYC while Hazel is home in Portland.
Argent is a longtime resident of Portland, experienced in the poly community and also a dominatrix that goes by the name "Hazel Hawthorne". Argent and Hazel meet at a dance party when she first arrives home and Hazel cannot believe her good fortune.
Over four beautifully illustrated issues, we get to be voyeurs in Hazel's life as she works through her feelings toward Gregor: jealousy, love, and confusion. Argent becomes Hazel's guide into polyamory, consensual committed non-monogamy. Over their first date Argent asks Hazel about her boyfriend, Gregor, and also shares about her own long distance relationship of 9 years with fellow comic booker and tattoo artist, Chloe.
Hazel is also on the receiving end of a few pointed but gentle lessons from Argent, like when it's appropriate to speak about/our someone as a sex worker in public (spoiler alert, never). Hazel figures a lot out about herself, who she wants to be, and how to navigate her romantic relationships moving forward.
This comic is a visual feast. The colors are a mix of pastels and warm oranges and it's beautiful work you can fall into. The characters are diverse and sexy. Argent is curvy and confident and full of unique style. Other minor queer characters Argent and Hazel interact with over the course of the story are masculine of center, people of color and more.
Despite Gregor (more acurately, Hazel's feelings about him) being a significant part of the story, the romance captured in these collected issues is focused on Hazel and Argent. I couldn't be happier with how the story ended, and I hope you check it out. A must have for indy queer comics fans.
Check out a preview of the comic here.
