Guest post written by Les Normaux creator Janine Janssen
Janine Janssen (aka J.J.) has been drawing ever since she could hold a pencil, resulting in a BA in illustration and MA in animation. She loves telling stories about oddballs in society, and has been sharing them online as webcomics since 2013. She lives in the south of the Netherlands, but is travelling the world every day in her mind.
About Les Normaux: Set in Paris, Les Normaux is a heart stopping queer tale of vampires, werewolves, witches and the most magical phenomenon of all… love. It follows our two leads Elia and Sébastien, and their assorted crew of wonderful friends, as they navigate the ins and outs of life in both a modern and paranormal world.
Hi I’m Janine! I’m the author and illustrator of my debut graphic novel Les Normaux. So, my graphic novel started out as and exists still online as a webcomic. As I’ve been watching the reviews come in these past couple of weeks, I’ve noticed that for a lot of readers this was their first graphic novel ever! Or others may only know the now very famous Heartstopper series.
Now there’s even a difference between graphic novels and webcomics. Most Graphic novels go through the process of traditional publishing. Where the book is created start to finish before it gets out to the public. Webcomics are almost always self-published and kind of work like tv shows where the author releases episodes over time on a set schedule. What’s even more awesome is that the vast majority of these are completely free to read!
So, I’ve taken it upon myself to create a little list of webcomics that I love and would recommend to anyone. These stories are in my eyes, icons of the webcomic space, but you may not have heard about just yet. And if you don’t like reading on your computer or phone: All of these are available in print or in the process of being published!
Lackadaisy
Lackadaisy is a story about anthropomorphic cats running a speakeasy in prohibition -era St. Louis. It features comedy, crime, mystery, incredible art, historical accuracy… need I say more? This is one of the oldest webcomics I personally know, starting all the way back in 2006 and is still going!! This was the very first webcomic I ever found when I was just 15 years old and opened my eyes to a world of new possibilities. Basically, I owe this comic my life. So, you bet I have all volumes of it so far on my shelf and supported the kick-starters for the animated mini-series. Go check out the short film on YouTube btw!!
Nimona
Nimona is possibly the biggest name on this list. It started back in 2012 when I first got into webcomics. Unfortunately, it doesn’t exist online anymore as it was published pre- Heartstopper era and publishers required work to be removed. But it’s so worth it to pick it up in store. It’s a single volume medieval science fiction / fantasy story about a shapeshifter wanting to become the henchmen to a villain. It’s exactly as crazy as it sounds but it has so much heart. With a dash of romance and being deeply rooted in queer themes this is a must read for me. And if you’re not convinced yet, watch the movie version on Netflix! It’s incredible… and you will cry.
Tiger Tiger
Petra is one of the authors I found when I first discovered webcomics and has been a huge inspiration to me ever since. Back then she was working on another story but her current project Tiger Tiger has to be one of my all-time favourite stories period. It’s a story about a noble lady who steals her brother’s identity and ship to sail the oceans and research sea sponges. If you love queer romance, incredibly funny characters, anything with pirates or awesome seafaring adventures this one is for you! Oh, and no-one draws incredible fantasy creatures and monsters like Petra. The first volume is now out in print everywhere.
Project Nought
This one is dear to me since Chelsey and I started creating webcomics around the same time in the mid 2010’s. I’ve followed this one’s journey since the very start and the payoff was nothing short of incredible. Only a small portion of the first draft exists online but as it still started as a webcomic I think it belongs on this list. The story follows a boy who gets transported from the year 1996 to 2122, as a part of a school project of those future students. It’s a fast-paced story with a lot of mystery, romance and a lovable cast. It’s a good thing this is a standalone book because you will not be able to put it down once you started.
Novae
Novae is a more recent find but has shot up to this top 5 list of mine with ease since I first read it 2 years ago. Set in 17th Paris the comic follows the adventures and romance between the passionate astronomy student Raziol and sweet-tempered necromancer Sulvain. The artwork in this one is nothing short of incredible and I don’t think I’ve ever sat glued to my screen gasping and waiting for a webcomic to update like I have with this one. If you love period drama’s, dark magic, beautiful dialogue and sweet and gentle romance this one must be top of your list. I for sure will be first in line to get the print version they just announced.
