newsfeed

Creator Highlights are featured posts where we interview comic artists and novelists within the Tapas community. In honor of Pride Month, we reached out to some LGBT+ creators to share their experiences on creating works featuring a community that is often left out of mainstream media. For this session, we talk with Kales, the creator of Griefer Belt and Neila, the creator of By the Blade and Magic Remains.

Please introduce yourselves!

Kales: Hi! I'm Kale and I'm a full time animator, part time comic artist and creator of the webcomic Griefer Belt! My comic has been around since July 2015 and I've been on Tapas(tic) since late 2015.

I also identify as nonbinary + Bi! Happy Pride!

Neila: My name is Sarah Elkins, aka "Neila" and "NeilaK20" online. I am an asexual comic artist and writer who joined Tapas in early 2016 when I was near the beginning of my recovery from my elbow tendons ossifying. I wanted to start a webcomic (Magic Remains) as a way to prove to myself I could work in art again.

Prior to my elbow tendons effectively turning to bone I worked professionally in the US comic industry as a flatter, penciler, inker, and colorist. I worked on Womanthology among other projects. Tapas seemed like a good place to post a comic and potentially get feedback from readers, or at least from friends. I had heard good things about the community as a whole from friends who hosted their comics on the site and Tapas also publishing cell phone novels was a huge plus for me as I had been working on my writing a lot more while my arm was bad since I could type with my other hand. I've also got another book out right now called Psychic Underground: The Facility, from a different publisher that people can buy in paperback.

Why do you draw comics/write?

Kales: I began creating comics for my own entertainment and for the most part still do! I love my characters and I love telling stories about them whether it be their canon-verse or AU's. I like to think Griefer Belt was a very self-indulgent story to begin with, particularly my main character (Lars) who is a combination of the kinds of characters I've always liked. "Sassy Gay Villain" tropes can be seen as villainizing queer characters/people in some media but I like to think I've reclaimed that trope to create a character that people love as a protagonist of the story.

Neila: When I was a kid I wanted to make movies but I quickly learned that costs more money than I had or was likely to have and also requires a lot more management than working on a comic or writing does so I started writing for myself and drawing comics. With a comic I can go wild and weird, same with writing. For me creating a story, be it with art or prose, is a great way to deal with stress as well as just have fun. I wanted to see characters like myself and my friends so I mostly write stories featuring asexual leads with other LGBTQIA+ characters in stories that don't revolve around their orientations or gender identities but are hopefully informed by them.

I grew up watching science fiction, horror, and action movies so I like to write stories that are a bit of all of those. Magic Remains follows an aromantic asexual magical girl named Melee, through a dystopian world where she meets Sparky a panromantic asexual non-binary cyborg. I have had to put the comic on hiatus while working on commissions to pay my bills so I haven't gotten to the part where they mention to one another their orientations and gender identities but I do plan to have it stated in the comic. I liked the idea of having a magical character team up with a scifi character to take on a magical bad guy. By the Blade has more psychological horror in it and is probably the least magical and least science fiction influenced story I've ever written.

What kinds of challenges have you overcome as an artist/writer?

Kales: One of the things no one ever prepares you for with success or popularity as a creator is how daunting and overwhelming it can be knowing how many people are going to be looking at your work. I have faced mental challenges in the past where I have been terrified of updating my comic for fear of reader reactions. I feel it's important to make an effort in creating a healthy relationship between reader and creator, so that the comfort as a creator is respected while also not dampening the fun for the reader.

Neila: It's hard not to think of the physical challenges I've had to deal with the last few years. My elbow tendons ossifying is a big one, a painful one, and one that I know still affects me psychologically. It's something I'll have to manage the rest of my life so I am trying to get as much done while I can and also not completely wreck myself so I can continue to make stories in the future. There's always that demon of self-doubt in the back of my mind and on days when my arms hurt more that demon gains a louder voice. It harbors with it the words from people I used to respect that said negative things about my ability as a writer and artist. They're words I should ignore but that demon held on to them and barfs them up when I'm feeling physically bad. Continuing to create and push past that self doubt is a big hurdle but I am always glad I made something once I get something finished.

What LGBT+ comics/novels on Tapas should people be reading right now?

Kales: Rock and Riot, Preheat, Long Exposure, Gender Slices are all great LGBT comics featured on Tapas!

Neila: The Sea in You by Jessi Sheron is amazing. It's a romance story between Corinth, a girl who was trying to clean up the beach, and Skylla, the mermaid she finds and falls in love with.

Snug Orbit by Emrys Seren is gorgeous and heartwarming. I think they may have just concluded the comic due to personal reasons that are heartbreaking but readers should go show them some love.

Lockbank Cryptid Society has some LGBTQIA+ characters and follows teens searching for answers in their weird community.

The Endling by Charibdys is a science fiction horror novel that includes transhumanism and body horror. The character Palavar is non-binary.

Hoi Butt! By Shane and Tasha is an autobiographical comic about two asexuals who fall in love.

Mistlands by Laya Rose is gorgeous and full of elves and features asexual and aromantic characters.

Teleport by Hallopino is about an asexual scientist who invents teleportation technology.

Cinderella Boy by Kristina Meister is about non-binary character falling in love. It's pretty popular so chances are readers may have already seen it but I wanted to include it too.

---

Thank you Kales and Neila for taking the time to share your stories and recommendations!

This is Part 2 of a 2-Part Pride Month Creator Highlight. Click here for Part 1 with Catuallie, Kurzz, and Jem Yoshioka!