Blackward

Lika, Amor, Lala, and Tony have been close friends for years, bonded by their love of books and their shared sense of being nerdy, queer, and Black in spaces that don't quite fit them. When they can't find a social scene where they feel at home, they decide to build one themselves: an open gathering at a community center where people who feel out of place can meet and be fully themselves.

The friends invite awkward Black people to come and connect, but turnout is thin, and in-person encounters with hostile strangers leave everyone on edge. As the group begins to doubt its plan, old insecurities about not being good enough, or Black enough, resurface. The central question is whether they can steady their project in time for the Blackward Zine Fest, the ambitious event their whole effort revolves around.

The illustrations give the characters bold, vivid color. The story covers mental health, romance, everyday microaggressions, and moments of joy, following the friends as they face whatever life sends their way. At its heart is the idea of building a place to belong and the strength people draw from community.