If you're like me and your first encounter with queer graphic novels was old fashioned BL manga, you are more than familiar with overly romantic relationships with simplistic power dynamics and picture "perfect" couples. Mangas with a concept of consent and sexuality as unrealistic as the pointy chins of their tall “tops” and the huge eyes of their vertically challenged “bottoms”. Well, size difference between main characters aside, you won't find those old tropes here.

"Because of our Wings" (B%W for short) is a love story, but is more than that, there are many underlying motives besides "kiss kiss fall in love", our heroes are on a rocky journey, one of healing and self-discovery.

In the universe of B%W, humans have evolved and gained animal or insect traits, and this world especially caters to their unique needs. Their clothes are designed for ease of movement, the buildings have sturdy bars that allow the safe landing of the winged kind and the chairs were carefully built to allow the comfort of their tail owning users. This is not a utopia though, this world mirrors the racial and social struggles of our own, because where there are people there is love and hope but also discrimination and violence.

Buck, our protagonist, an Italian moth, is attractive yet not perfect. He's neither innocent or wide-eyed, what he lacks on naive sparkles he more than makes up for. He's witty, ironic, a bit jaded, and is charming AF. He's not a damsel in distress waiting for a handsome stranger to swoop him off his feet and fix his life, au contraire; he's one of the most talented fashion students in his faculty, he shares a flat with his exuberant and supportive best friend Beth (a huge fictional crush for me) and despite smoking too many cigarettes, he's doing a pretty good job of taking care of himself.

And then Charlie happens. That cute, slightly clumsy, starry-eyed, gentle soul that has chosen the not so easy task of wooing Buck, salty cookie extraordinaire, and his first crush.

Charlie, the yin to Buck's yang, a monarch butterfly, stands tall at the top of the lepidoptera chain of command, whether he likes it or not. He is one of the hottest boys in town, he's a capable psychology student who works as a fashion model on the side, he's good-natured and friendly, the world welcomes him with open arms.

Well, while the world embraces him, Buck is not that easy, he's not buying all the hype; he doesn't judge a book by its pretty cover, and he will keep Charlie guessing and at arms length until he gets to know him better.

Will this encounter between the model and the designer a match made on winged heaven? well only one way to know: just follow the link in the description!

This is for you if:

You like blushing boys

You enjoy a good slow burn

You are seeking LGBTQ+ representation

You are into fur and/or wings

You enjoy a realistic and healthy portrayal of gender and sexuality

You dig a diverse cast of appealing secondary characters that are as endearing as the main characters