Welcome to Gay Previews, a monthly list that highlights the work of LGBT and gay friendly creators. Listings are primarily taken from each month’s PREVIEWS. Just refer to the page number in your PREVIEWS copy for more information about each comic. Other sources such as a publisher’s website may be used. In these cases, a link is provided.

If you are a LGBT creator whose work has been accidentally overlooked or is not included in PREVIEWS solicitations, please contact me at glajoe at gayleague dot com to be included.

Inspired by Andy Mangels whose idea this is originally and who dutifully compiled numerous lists before this one.

Names listed in bold face are LGBT or gay friendly creators.

ABSTRACT STUDIOS

ECHO: MOON LAKE Vol 1 TP $15.95 Page 188
Terry Moore
Julie Martin is in the wrong place at the wrong time when she’s finds herself under a strange explosion in the desert sky. The resulting fallout covers her in a mysterious silver metal that brings more trouble into Julie’s life than she could ever imagine, and a friend to die for. Volume 1, Moon Lake, collects issues #1-5. .

ECHO: ATOMIC DREAMS Vol 2 TP $15.95 Page 188
Volume 2 collects #6-10

DARK HORSE

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: WILLOW  $3.50 Page 22
Joss Whedon and Karl Moline

Willow Rosenberg has worn many faces – a shy computer geek, a loyal friend, a passionate lover, a fierce Wiccan, and a dark Willow. Now in Season Eight of the critically acclaimed, award-winning Buffy comics series, Willow’s powers have grown exponentially. She can fly. Teleport. And may or may not be immortal. All we know is that Willow went on a walkabout following the demise of Sunnydale, and she met a very sultry, extremely powerful serpent lady who seems to be the key to unraveling the mysteries of what Willow is, and will become. Joss Whedon and his Fray co-creator Karl Moline reunite for this special one-shot!

DC

BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #7 $3.99 Page 77
Paul Dini, Marc Andreyko, Dustin Nguyen, and Georges Jeanty
Paul Dini returns as Batman and Robin uncover a sinister plot involving dozens of Gotham City’s young runaways. Is Arkham Asylum escapee Humpty Dumpty at the center of the scheme – or is he just the tip of an even more dangerous iceberg? Guest-starring Abuse and Zsasz! And in the Manhunter co-feature, now that Kate has finally tracked down Two-Face, she’s ready to confront him for the hit he ordered on Gotham’s former D.A. But their confrontation is not going to go the way she planned!

DETECTIVE #860 $3.99 Page 75
Greg Rucka, J H Williams, and Cully Hamner

Batwoman’s origin story concludes here! In “Go!” part 3, Kate Kane becomes Batwoman and goes after a terrorist cell in Gotham, but all does not go according to plan. Plus, in the present, Kate confronts her father about her supposedly dead sister! In the co-feature, the Huntress joins The Question in her quest to track down the leaders of the human trafficking ring. But finding them – and bring them to justice – will be harder and more dangerous than either hero thought!

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE
James Robinson and Mauro Casioli
The book takes a break in December. [This Starman is Mikaal Tomas whom Robinson revealed to have a male love interest in his STARMAN. Batwoman is also scheduled to take part in this story.]

SECRET SIX #16 $2.99 Page 87
Gail Simone and J. Calafiore
The supremely powerful and infinitely dangerous Black Alice returns and she’s decided she wants to be a member of the Six – even if someone has to die to make room!

STARMAN OMNIBUS Vol 4 HC Page 94 $49.99
James Robinson, Tony Harris, Jerry Ordway, Gary Erskine, Leonard Kirk, Gene Ha, Mike Mignola
Jack Knight’s groundbreaking adventures continue as Starman teams up with Batman and Hellboy, then heads into space to find lost hero Will Payton. Collecting STARMAN #39-46, STARMAN 80-PAGE GIANT #1, THE POWER OF SHAZAM #35-36, STARMAN: THE MIST #1 and BATMAN/HELLBOY/STARMAN #1-2. Advance-solicited; on sale February 17. [Collects Starman #45, what may be the first kiss between a male couple, Mikaal Tomas and his boyfriend Tony.]

TITANS: OLD FRIENDS TP Page 94 $19.99
Judd Winick, Iand Churchill, and Joe Benitez
The former teen heroes known as the Teen Titans are all grown up and under siege in this trade paperback collecting TITANS #1-6 as well as the hard-to-find one-shot TEEN TITANS EAST SPECIAL #1! Advance-solicited; on sale January 6.

WONDER WOMAN #39 $2.99 Page 90
Gail Simone and Aaron Lopresti
This is it! The secret behind Wonder Woman’s new power and the true meaning of the Olympian are revealed right here! It’s an all-out action issue as Diana faces an old foe with a hideous new face!

VERTIGO

GREEK STREET #6 $2.99 Page 111

Peter Milligan and Davide Gianfelice
A shocking new drama unfolds on the blood, tear and fluid-stained stage of Greek Street as disturbed mother-killer Eddie and aristo visionary, Sandy, try to get to London where Dedalus investigates a suicide and an urban witch tries to get through to a monster. Part 1 of “Cassandra Complex,” the all-new storyline to the intense and irreverent Greek Street. [Detective Daedelus is gay.]

MADAME XANADU #18 $2.99 Page 112
Matt Wagner and Amy Reeder Hadley
Caught in a catfight foretold millennia past, Madame Xanadu’s immortality is put to the test. And she finds the only thing worse than an innocent housewife possessed by the devil is a housewife possessed by her first and fiercest rival. [Wagner has revealed a part of Xanadu's life during the Spanish Inquisition in which she loved a woman named Marisol.]

WILDSTORM

THE AUTHORITY #17 $2.99 Page 99
Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Christos Gage, and Drew Johnson
The Midnighter’s quest to find a cure for the Warhol-infected Apollo has led him to the strangest confrontation imaginable – against a former member of The Authority! It’s the startling conclusion to Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Simon Coleby’s epic run, and it’ll have mind-blowing consequences for the series! Also, the creative team taking the reins with issue #18 makes a cameo debut!

THE AUTHORITY: THE LOST YEAR #4 $2.99 Page 99

Keith Giffen and Darick Robertson

Plotted by superstars Grant Morrison and Keith Giffen, written by Giffen and illustrated by some of today’s most popular, uniquely talented artists, this series fills in the gap to explain where The Authority was just before “World’s End,” how they escaped from a horrifying alternate reality…and at what cost. Darick Robertson (TRANSMETROPOLITAN, The Boys), Trevor Scott (BATGIRL) and cover artist Gene Ha tackle this kick-off arc as The Authority find themselves stuck on an alternate reality Earth in which they’re nothing more than comic book characters. It’s a dying reality and neither they nor the Carrier can exist inside of it! They have to get away as soon as possible, but can they before the Carrier expires?

EX MACHINA #47 $2.99 Page 101
Brian K. Vaughn and Tony Harris
“Pro-Life” part 3! Will Mitchell Hundred’s new archenemy, a dogged reporter with powers far beyond those of the Great Machine, finally bring down the mayor’s administration?[In issue #6 Mayor Hundred proposes to marry the Deputy Mayor’s brother who is a NYFD fireman and happens to be gay. The following issue deals with opinions from the mayor’s staff and the possible implications of the Mayor performing a same-sex marriage. The topic became a part of the “Smoke, Smoke” storyline. Mayor Hundred’s mother recently asked him if he is gay. Vaughn left the question unanswered. There is also a lesbian supporting character.]

GEN:13 #33 $2.99 Page 100
Adam Beechen and Cruddie Torian

Nothing creates strong new bonds like a big road trip, right? Well, that might not be the case for the combined memberships of Gen 13 and Gen 14 when they trek back across the country from Tranquility as one big, not-so-happy family. But when our heroes meet travelers along the road, their bonds better form quickly, or it might be the end of Gen as we know it!  [As in previous volumes, Sarah Rainmaker is lesbian.]

D.E.

THE BOYS #37 $2.99 Page 236
Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson
High in the French Pyrenees lies the little mountain village of Franglais, as quiet and peaceful a place as you could imagine… until her favorite son comes home. The Frenchman’s origin is finally revealed, in a pulse-bounding tale of seething passion, vile betrayal and classic Gallic melancholy. Who is Black Pierre? Why is the lovely Marie not there to welcome her beloved Frenchie home? And how can one croissant change everything?

THE BOYS Vol 3: GOOD FOR THE SOUL LIMITED EDITION HC Page 236 $29.99
Garth Ennis and John McCrea

In “Good For The Soul”, everyone has something to get off their chest: Frenchie and the Female are up to something nasty with the Mafia, Mother’s Milk goes to see his mom, Annie January wants a word with God himself, and Butcher enjoys yet another ghastly tryst with CIA Director Rayner. The Legend, meanwhile, offers to tell Hughie everything he wants to know about The Boys- all Hughie has to do is take a walk with the dead. And in “I Tell You No Lie, G.I.”, the beans are spilled: sixty years of Vought American’s superhero agenda for America, with every dirty trick, shady deal and black operation since World War Two revealed at last. The Boys, meanwhile, confront the Seven on the site of the superheroes’ greatest failure. The worst secret of all is what really happened early one September morning, not so long ago in New York City… Dynamite Entertainment presents the third collection of The Boys (issues 15 through 22) from writer Garth Ennis  and artist Darick Robertson. Advanced solicited for January 2010

DESPERADO

CLIVE BARKER’S AGE OF DESIRE HC Page 244 $14.99
Clive Barker and P. Craig Russell

Clive Barker’s dark vision of the last days of a genetically altered and homicidally ecstatic sexual compulsive. Over 15 years in the making, this is the notorious adaptation by P. Craig Russell and Timothy Bradstreet that went missing for over a decade. Recently revised with its original ending restored

DIGITAL MANGA DISTRIBUTION

9TH SLEEP $12.95 Page 247
Makoto Tateno
The planet had died once before… On the day of Despaira, a god appeared in the sky and saved the world. His name was King Shishioh. But now with the throne of the king empty, a vicious battle between two brothers is unfolding. Who will ascend the throne?

HOW TO CAPTURE A MARTINI $12.95 Page Page 247
Makoto Tatano

He was my lover in High school, my upperclassman, beautiful, malicious Shinobu. He was also the one who took away everything, whether it was my first kiss, or my first time. Then, after the graduation ceremony, he completely disappeared. Four years have passed since then, and right when I thought I’d already forgotten all memories about him, he suddenly appeared in front of my eyes, more beautiful and charming than ever… Now, even though he’s willing to open his body for everyone, the only thing he gives me is his cruel words. But no matter what, I still want to be by his side… So I started working a part-time job at the bar where he’s working… Makoto Tateno’s super dry superior beauty capture method.

KURASHINA SENSEI’S PASSION Vol 2 $12.95 Page 248
Natsuho Hino
Welcome back to the renowned Shoei Acadamy, a school which prides itself on educating young men from respected families from kindergarten all the way through senior high school. Newly-arrived teacher Reiji Kurashina is just as popular with his students as ever, inspiring feelings of passion in all of them. And now the battle between the executive committee and the student council for the teacher and is under way!

THE SELFISH DEMON KING $10.95 Page 248
Kyoko Wakatsuki and Naduki Koujima
Shizuku is an adorable and spunky high school student, but even he doesn’t know the secret he’s hiding. When Shizuku comes home from school one day, he’s met by a stunningly beautiful man. This paragon of exquisite beauty, Doga, tells Shizuku that the Shizuku’s true nature is that of a sexual mage. Doga is actually the king of the magical realm and that once every hundred years, right at the cusp of mating season, he has to take a sexual mage as his lover… What is Shizuku to do?!

VAMPIRE’S PORTRAIT 2 Vol 2 $12.95 Page 246
Hiroki Kusumoto
“I have no intention of forgiving you…” That’s what Sein tells his brother, Verloren, after Verloren wounds him deeply and this sibling rivalry is what touches off the war between brothers… Sein’s artist client and lover, Lou, steps in to help Sein, but the relationship between Adam, Verloren and Sein is goes so deep that Lou may not be able to step between them…

801 MEDIA

Note: The following two descriptions are taken from Amazon.

KISS YOUR HAIR GN $15.95 (Less at Amazon) Page 250
Duo Brand
Gardener Suzaku and the Master of the house, who have a long-hair fetish, are engaged in their regular trysts, when the former purposely makes himself heard by the secretly-watching cool beauty, Suiren, the butler!

Preorder this manga from Amazon.

FUGU PRESS

SCARLETT TAKES MANHATTAN GN Page 250 $12.95
Molly Crabapple and John Leavitt

A young woman orphaned in tragic circumstances (by a pair of copulating circus elephants) rises to become the foremost burlesque performer of her era: Scarlett O’Herring. Mentored by the mysterious D’Lovely, Scarlett is a fire-breather, courtesan, and the heroine of Dr Sketchy’s Anti-Art School founder Molly Crabapple’s first graphic novel. “Scarlett Takes Manhattan” is a delightful erotic romp through the exotic world of Gilded Age New York!

Buy this book from Amazon.

HARPER COLLINS

NEIL GAIMAN’S CORALINE TP Page 255 $9.99
Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell
When Coraline steps through a door in her family’s new house, she finds another house, strangely similar to her own, only better. But there’s another mother there and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go! This beloved tale becomes a visual feast as artist P. Craig Russell brings Neil Gaiman’s enchanting children’s book to new life.

IMAGE

PROOF #27 $3.50 Page 159
Alex Grecian and Riley Rossmo
“Who Killed the Dover Demon?” Part One – Surrounded by the world’s deadliest creatures, Elvis and Ginger investigate a crime scene on the grounds of The Lodge. Meanwhile, Proof faces an escalating problem with a monster in The Habitat.[Supporting character Wayne Russet is gay.]

MARVEL
ASTONISHING X-MEN #33 $2.99 Page 57
Warren Ellis and Phil Jimenez
“Exogenic” Part 3 of 5 – Dead mutants turned into biological weapons…genetically-reprogrammed Brood sleazoids… missing data on Henry McCoy’s research computers…the truth about what Abby Brand was trying to burn out on Cruithne. It all adds up to an attempt to remove mutantcy from the planet Earth entirely – and the rise of the Bio-Sentinels.

DARK REIGN: YOUNG AVENGERS TPB Page 105 $16.99
Paul Cornell and Mark Brooks
The Melter; The Executioner; The Enchantress; Egghead; Big Zero and Coat of Arms: they call themselves the Young Avengers, teenage rebels, on the run from the authorities, hated and feared by a world they’ve sworn to protect. Their interests include interspecies romance, modern art and bloody murder. Everything is permitted, and so are they. Until they meet the original Young Avengers. And then their grey areas will come home to roost. Collecting DARK REIGN: YOUNG AVENGERS #1-5.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #21 $2.99 Page 56
Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, and Brad Walker

As the shocking true dangers of the Fault become apparent, the Luminals make an unregulated trip into the wild zone, and they’ve brought back something that threatens to exterminate all life on Knowhere! You guessed it, now it’s up to our rag-tag band of misfits to save the universe in another issue of the series that Ain’t It Cool News says “makes my geek heart pitter-patter!”[Phyla (Quasar, now "Martyr") and Moondragon were lovers before Moondragon’s apparent death. Moondragon has since returned to the land of the living.]

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol 3 WAR OF KINGS BOOK 2 HC $24.99 Page 97
Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, and Brad Walker
The guns of the Kree and the Shi’Ar have thundered – and there will hell to pay! Star-Lord’s Guardians spring into desperate action in an attempt to stop the planet-shattering battle, but will either side listen? If they don’t, the walls of the galaxy will disintegrate! It’s more mind-blowing cosmic heroics from the book that made CBR.com rave “if comics were movies, this would be the one people would be talking about all summer!” Collecting GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #13-19.

MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ #2 $3.99 Page 10
Eric Shanower and Skottie Young
The further adventures of Oz continue! Eric Shanower (Age of Bronze) and Skottie Young (X-MEN) further adapt the amazing adventures of Tip, Scarecrow, and Jack Pumpkinhead as they face the frantic and fantastic aspects of the Land of Oz.

NEW MUTANTS #8 $2.99 Page 67
Zeb Wells and Diogenes Neves
“Necrosha” Part 2 of 3.
The New Mutants’ part in Necrosha comes to a close here! It’s Doug Ramsey and the Hellions vs. Sam and his crew and it ain’t looking good for our friends in the yellow and black.

RUNAWAYS: TRUE BELIEVERS HC $19.99 Page 99
Brian K. Vaughn and Adrian Alphona
When a group of teenagers discovers that their parents are actually super-villains, they run away from home…but that’s only step one! Now that the evil Pride is gone, nearly every bad guy in the Marvel Universe is trying to fill the power vacuum in Los Angeles, and the Runaways are the only heroes who can stop them! Plus: What does a mysterious new team of young heroes want with the Runaways, and which fan-favorite Marvel characters are part of this group? Collecting Runaways (2005) #1-6.

RUNAWAYS: THE GOOD DIE YOUNG TP $16.99 Page 112
Brian K. Vaughn and Adrian Alphona
The world as we know it is about to end, and the Runaways are the only hope to prevent it! Our fledgling teenage heroes have learned how their parents’ criminal organization began, and now they must decide how it should END. As the Runaways’ epic battle against their evil parents reaches its shocking conclusion, the team’s mole stands revealed, and blood must be shed. Which kids will still be standing when the smoke finally clears? This is the story that changes everything (seriously!). Collecting Runaways #13-18.

THE STAND: SOUL SURVIVORS #2 $3.99 Page 9
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Mike Perkins
The most shocking chapter of Stephen King’s horror masterpiece yet! Stu, Fran, and Harold’s journey across the country takes a turn for the unspeakable when they cross paths with a quartet of vigilantes and their “harem” of imprisoned women. Making matters worse (if such a thing were possible), Harold’s deepest fears that Fran and Stu have feelings for each other are starting to come true… Told from Fran’s POV, this issue marks the point of no return.

WHAT IF? ASTONISHING X-MEN Page 51 $3.99
Jim McCann, Matteo Casali and David Yardin

From the pages of Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s classic Astonishing X-Men run, see two titanic tales unfold: In the first, what if Ord from Breakworld brought Jean Grey back from the dead instead of Colossus? What happens when she’s reunited with the X-Men? And Emma? And how will this change affect the entire galaxy? A story of life, death, love and loss resulting in one word that strikes fear into all: Phoenix! “What If Jean Grey Was Resurrected Instead of Colossus? ” by Jim McCann (New Avengers: The Reunion) and David Yardin (X-Men Origins: Gambit). In the second, when the artificial being known as Danger is out to destroy Xavier and his X-Men, someone else picks up her signal. Someone deadly they’ve never faced before… someone who’s ready to fall in love with the mutated Danger Room! “What If Danger Became Ultron’s Bride?” Written by Matteo Casali with incredible art by Mike Getty!

X-FACTOR #200 Page 70 $4.99
Peter David and Bing Casino

“The Invisible Girl Has Vanished” – X-Factor has relocated back to New York, and their first client is a keeper: Franklin Richards, whose mom has disappeared and who figures that the premiere detective agency in the Marvel Universe has the best  Monet: Her ambassador father has been taken prisoner by terrorists, and she has less than 24 hours to find him before he chance of finding her. Except Reed Richards doesn’t seem especially cooperative in helping them locate his missing wife. What is he hiding, and does it have anything to do with the coming Darkness? Meanwhile, Val Cooper has some bad news for winds up getting his head cut off on video. [David confirmed long standing fan speculation that there is a romantic
component to Rictor and Shatterstar's relationship in X-Factor #44, published earlier in 2009 despite the discrepancy in numbering.]

X-FACTOR: OVERTIME HC Page 95 $19.99
Peter David and Valentine De Landro
It’s Siryn in the fight of her life against the absolute last person that she would have expected to be battling. And Madrox, Layla and Ruby find themselves under assault by the Sentinels just when they’re on the verge of discovering the mystery behind Cortex! Collecting X-FACTOR #46-50.

ONI PRESS

SCOTT PILGRIM Vol 1 Page 276 $11.95
Scott Pilgrim’s life is totally sweet. He’s 23 years old, in a rock band, “between jobs,” AND dating a cute high school girl. Everything’s fantastic until a seriously mind-blowing, dangerously fashionable, rollerblading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers starts cruising through his dreams and sailing by him at parties. Will Scott’s awesome life get turned upside-down? Will he have to face Ramona’s seven evil ex-boyfriends in battle? [Pilgrim's roommate Wallace Wells is gay.]

Buy this book from Amazon.

PRISM COMICS

2009/10 COMICS GUIDE Page 313 $3.99
You’ll find the latest information about everything gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender in comics between the exciting covers – by Stephen Sadowski (Avengers/Invaders) and Megan Rose Gedris (Lesbian Pirates) – of this year’s Prism Comics Guide! From a look back at the year of Batwoman and Ultimate X-Men, to interviews with gay comics pioneer Howard Cruse (Wendel), and up-and-coming creators Pam Harrison (House of the Muses) and Tommy Roddy (Pride High), the Prism Comics Guide is rife with humor, info, and recommended reading!

TOKYO POP

GRAVITATION COLLECTION Vol 4 Page 290 $14.99
Maki Murakami
A special, extra-long compilation featuring new bonus color pages, Vol. 4 features content from the original volumes 7 & 8.

LOVE HURTS Page 290 $12.99
Suzuki Tanaka
Hilarity and chaos fill this delectable boys’ love collection from the creator of Menkui!

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