The Reading Room

12 LGBTQ+ Comics You Must Read on WEBTOON

By David Opie

July 14, 2023 · Updated on May 15, 2024

While superhero comic book adaptations have long dominated multiplexes worldwide, shows based on webtoons, AKA online comics, have started to do the same back home now on the small screen. 

Huge Netflix hits like Hellbound and All Of Us Are Dead, along with newer shows such as Bloodhounds and Black Knight, all originated on the South Korean WEBTOON platform, which is designed for easy scrolling on your phone.

This accessibility has helped ensure that the success of webtoons is no longer limited to just South Korea. More and more international creators are now bringing their voice to the platform, and “voice” really is the key word here as WEBTOON is creator-led and creator-driven.

Naturally, this means that many LGBTQ+ comic book creators who struggle to find an outlet elsewhere have gravitated towards WEBTOON, crafting distinctly queer stories that are far more personal than anything you might find elsewhere, on or offline.

With endless options to choose from, we’ve pored through the archives to find you some of the best LGBTQ+ comics available to read right now on WEBTOON, including mammoth hits along with a few hidden gems that speak to different experiences across our community. And no, we didn’t count Heartstopper, because you really need to hand your gay card back in if Alice Oseman’s comics have somehow passed you by.

Always Human by walkingnorth

Synopsis: This is a story about nanobots, genetic engineering, and two girls falling in love. No matter how technology changes us, we’ll always be human.

Why you should read: Always Human is set in a future where nanotechnology “mods” allow people to upgrade their minds and bodies. But what’s really important here is the love story that unfolds between Sunati, a woman who has taken full advantage of these mods, and Austen, a woman who has a very good reason to avoid using them entirely. Like the very best sci-fi, this beautiful series uses technology to find profound ways to reveal new things about the human condition, and it certainly helps that Ari does so with gorgeous watercolors that bring so much warmth to the comic’s futuristic setting.  

Small World by Wonsun Jin

Synopsis: What do you do when you’re having a bad day and need a hug? Call your boyfriend of course! Follow along with Robin and Julien as they navigate in their own small world.

Why you should read: Like Heartstopper, Small World is an adorably wholesome look at young gay love that eschews pain and trauma in favor of relatable, day-to-day snippets of Julien and Robin’s relationship. Each episode is super short and super cute, so it won’t take you long to fall in love with Julien and Robin as much as they’re in love with each other.

Life Outside the Circle by H-P Lehkonen

Synopsis: The heartwarming tale of two men who find love in the Finnish countryside.

Why you should read: As God’s Own Country taught us a few years back, unrequited queer love can be real horny in the countryside, but it can also be cute too, as seen here in Lehkonen’s story of city boy Sami and the love he finds in the middle of nowhere with a farmer named Juha. There are complications, as is always the way with love, but there’s so much queer and trans joy specifically to be found here, too. 

Castle Swimmer by Wendy Lian Martin

Synopsis: What happens when your entire life is ruled by a prophecy – your future foretold by people you’ve never met, who died long before you were born. Such is the story of two young sea creatures. One believed to be a guiding light for his people, a Beacon who will lead them to a bright, prosperous future. The other is a teenage prince for who’s destiny is to kill the Beacon so that his own people might thrive. When both reject the course set for them, it leads to a raucous adventure as big and unpredictable as the ocean itself – and a romance that nobody could have predicted.

Why you should read: Fantasy writers sure do love a prophecy, and that’s no less true when it comes to fantasy stories that are as gay as this one. The world-building here is truly stunning, capturing the smallest details to evoke an epic, underwater world. But what will keep you reading is the story itself, which features the kind of queer representation we deserve to see in similar stories like Avatar: The Last Airbender and any of your fave Studio Ghibli films.

Boyfriends by Ray Pratiwi AKA Refrainbow

Synopsis: A comic about getting yourself a boyfriend… or multiple boyfriends! Four college students begin a polyamorous relationship and navigate the adventure that is their dating life!

Why you should read: “Slice of life” comics are a dime-a-dozen on WEBTOON, but Boyfriends isn’t just about two men in love, or even three for that matter either. The usual love triangles that make up this genre are extended out four ways here, which creates even more opportunity for cutesy flirting, awkward encounters, and everything else you could ask for from a comic like this.  

Muted by Miranda Mundt

Synopsis: On the full moon of her 21st year, the young witch, Camille Severin, is expected to perform the traditional ritual to summon forth a winged demon for her family’s success and prosperity. But when the ritual goes wrong, it reveals the terrifying truths about herself and the secrets that threaten to tear her family apart.

Why you should read: Witches are gay, like super gay, but we still don’t see enough gay witches in mainstream fare for our liking. Enter Muted, an addictive fantasy epic that will utterly enchant you with stunning spellwork and even more stunning twists and turns that will keep you coming back for “just one more issue”.

#Blessed by M. Victoria Robado

Synopsis: Joanna is a mid-twenties office girl who likes social media and watered-down coffee. While griping about her love life, she accidentally swiped right on a whole Pantheon of Gods and Goddesses! Looking to fulfill an ancient prophecy, only one of them will be able to claim Joanna as their own… after a nice dinner, that is!

Why you should read: Dating apps can be hell, but what if we told you that dating can be a holy experience too? That’s what happens to Joanna when she swipes right on seven gods of different genders from various realms. The ensuing chaos is surprisingly relatable as it turns out deities can suck just as much as humans when it comes to dating.

Novae by KaixJu

Synopsis: Raziol is an astronomer with a romantic heart. Sulvain is a kind-hearted necromancer with a troubled past. A strong connection forms between them as they discover the cosmos together, and their relationship blooms. But trouble lurks in the streets of Paris. When the body of a fellow astronomer is found on the steps of the Academy of Sciences, signs point to dark magic, and Raziol and Sulvain’s lives become entangled in ways they could never foresee. 

Why you should read: Queer people have been around ever since monkeys first stood up on two legs and fast-walked their way over to the nearest Starbucks, yet there still aren’t enough gay stories in historical fiction to reflect this. That’s why Novae is such a welcome read. Set in 17th-century Paris, this romance between a necromancer and an astronomer is surprisingly romantic and lovely given the amount of monsters and dead bodies involved.

Serious Trans Vibes by Sophie Labelle

Synopsis: Serious Trans Vibes follows the adventures of Stéphie and Ciel, two queer and transgender teenagers, as they find pride and empowerment in their daily lives.

Why you should read: For the most part, trans representation in the media still tends to veer towards traumatic experiences, even when the intentions are positive overall. And that’s important because these lows shouldn’t be ignored or brushed under the carpet. What’s great about Serious Trans Vibes though is that it isn’t too serious at all. The realities of living as a trans person in today’s society aren’t overlooked, but plenty of time is also taken to focus on the highs with a great deal of pride and some really gorgeous, empowering stories.  

With Great Abandon by E.H. Macmillan

Synopsis: With Great Abandon is a queer romance set over the course of a year in London. It’s the story of Harry and Russell’s differences, similarities, and relationship. A hopeful and kind story. Also food and comics. 

Why you should read: With Great Abandon is shorter than some of the other titles in this list, but that doesn’t make it any less worthy of your time. Relatable dialogue is the key to this slice-of-life tale that follows a sweet, gentle love story between two gay men, one of whom is trans and the other cis. Set aside a bit of time for this one because once you start, you will find it hard to not read all this in one sitting.

Heir’s Game by Susanna “Suspu” Nousiainen

Synopsis: When a new heir to the duchy of Belluna comes of age, there is held the Heir’s Game: a brutal series of duels to determine the heir’s bodyguard. When Theuden, the new heir, meets Isran, a quiet duelist with a mysterious past, their love will threaten to change everything.

Why you should read: Like Novae, The Heir’s Game is another historical tale that centers gay love, and like Novae, you’re going to eat this one right up too. There are mysteries and duels and all kinds of sexy endeavors so what are you waiting for? Start playing.

Honey & Venom by itskurzz 

Synopsis: An ancient Roman goddess is reunited with her priestess 2000 years in the future, but she doesn’t remember her! The closer they grow, the more secrets their shared past reveals, all while an ancient adversary lurks in the shadows.

Why you should read: There are a lot of gods and mythology in this list because us gays lap that stuff up from an early age, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t continue this obsession into adulthood. What’s special about Honey & Venom in particular is how heartfelt the emotions are and how that’s reflected in the artist’s stunning use of color. Join Caelia/Robin and Axiothea for a poignant love story that spans time and space.♦

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