All this month I'll be reviewing different comic books with LGBT themes (LGBT standing for "Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender"), based on submissions from the actual creators of the comic books themselves. Here is an archive of the comics featured so far!

Today we take a look at a charming, well-told mini-comic by Bill Roundy about the first date of two gay men, one of whom is transgender.



The story is quite straightforward, but Roundy gives the characters such a natural level of charisma that their interactions are quite compelling. Here is their "meet cute"...





Then, in perhaps the most impressive sequence in the issue, storytelling-wise, Roundy compares and contrasts the two guys as they get ready for their date...



Click on the image to embiggen it (an appropriate choice of words, what with the Simpsons references in the comic). That's a really well-done two-page spread, particularly for a mini-comic, when space so valuable.

I have written about "formatitis" in the past, about how difficult it can be to use your allotted space to its best usage. Here, Roundy is so effective that he tells a compelling, interesting and charming story and still has room for a BACK-UP! A back-up in a 12-page mini-comic! And you still got a full story! That's some impressive work there by Roundy.

The date, by the way, is handled well - Ethan, in particular, has a great monologue ("I'm tired of being a Trans 101 educator").

The back-up story, drawn by the great Tim Fish, is a hilarious story about the clerk at an adult film rental store (and how you learn way too much about your customers).

This was a great comic. Recommended.

You can buy a copy (and check out a bunch more of Roundy's comics) at his website here.