I love this comic.
I'd like to put more words behind that statement, but that sentence is what it really boils down to. Sure, it's not the most artistically astounding webcomic I've featured on this column, and it's not as polished as some other webcomics out there, but that's not what makes this comic charming. In fact, it's the lack of polish that makes this comic so wonderful: it's not pretentious; doesn't attempt to be more than a personal project by the author; and it is very consistent as far as schedules are concerned. (The author, Evelyn Poor, even managed to post comics while recovering from major surgery, which impressed me greatly.) For some reason, seeing the transgender coming-out story fictionalized in such a personal way just never gets old, and Poor does a fantastic job of turning trans stories into a fun-to-read webcomic.
Trans Girl Diaries mostly focuses on Adrian, a young trans girl in college. She lived with her parents until she was thrown out of the house for being trans. She has a group of supportive trans friends at college, as well as a trans girl named Namor who has taken her in while she gets back onto her feet. (Before you ask: yes, the cast is mostly transgender.) The comic then deals with the "how we got here" of their lives, and how they deal with the reactions of family, friends, and strangers. That's it; there's no merchandise page, no calls for donations, no "buy my book" inclinations. It's candid and almost naked in its presentation, which makes it all the more interesting to read.
There's just no better way to put it: it's simple, straightforward, interesting drama. Even better, it updates on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - sometimes even more often! - and keeps driving the narrative at a good clip. The comic is still in its infancy, which means you can probably dig through the archives in a half-hour flat. If you have the time, it's well worth a look!
A few samples appear under the cut:
Continue reading "Transgender Comics: Trans Girl Diaries" »