Oath: An Anthology of New (Queer) Heroes

I’ve decided that 2018 will be the year of anthologies! As I looked over my bookshelves, I realized all the great talent that I have enjoyed, but only in short bursts of one, two, or twelve pages. I’ve amassed quite a few anthologies over the years, and now is the time to give them a chance to shine. First up, I wanted to write about Oath: An Anthology of New (Queer) Heroes! Funded by Kickstarter in 2015 (full disclosure: I contributed) and edited by Audrey Redpath of Hiveworks Comics, Oath has more than thirty contributors and is more than two hundred pages long. I picked it up at FlameCon last year and read the whole thing on the trip home. I’ve read it again since then, because the stories are all wonderful examples of economical storytelling. They have deep characterization and powerful messages in the amount of space most single-issue comics reserve for their first act.

A lighthearted tone is established with the opening “Change of Heart” by Jon Erik Christianson & E. A. Denich, a pleasant story about two ass-kicking friends who become superheroes thanks to a pair of guardians masquerading as pigeons. “Princess Cappuccino: No Sugar!” by Jenn St-Onge is a funny tale about a barista with coffee-related super powers. “Jump” by Isabelle Melançon is an adorable short about learning to fly. “Work/Life Balance” by Steve Foxe & Allison Paige is a very cute story about a lesbian superhero looking for love in the app age.

Romance and relationship dynamics are at the heart of other stories. “Fourth Option” by Adriana Ferguson and K. Van Dam is an origin story for a superpowered duo that doubles as a meet-cute. “I Do” by Mari Costa is a short story about what’s most important to a second-generation protector. “Lunch Break” by Theo Lorenz is a tender, funny romance between a construction worker and a superhero who have more in common than they thought. In “Partnership” by Kori Michele Handwerker, the leader of a superteam learns what it means to be in one. “Greenhouse” by Kat Verhoeven is a politically charged superhero story about a romantic duo taking on a corporation. “Power Couple” by MeganRosalarian Gedris & Rachel Dukes shows a superhero couple working out their relationship. “Fear of My Identity” by Tini Howard & Vaneda Vireak is a tense, funny tale about the perils of being romantically involved with a superhero. “Darkling” by Sarah Searle & Carey Pietsch has another couple learns to be superheroes together. “Just a Sidekick” by Sara Goetter ends the anthology with two superheroes come to an understanding about how important they are to each other.

The remaining comics in Oath all have their own delights. “One Dress with Cape” by Steve Foxe & Rian Sygh is a tale of two superhero parents dealing with their child’s fashion choices. “Stop” by Blue Delliquanti is about a legless superhero remembering a key lesson from her childhood while helping in a rescue. “Nebulous” by Alex Law involves a clash of ideologies as much as powers with its own twist ending. “Safehouse” by Lee & Ty Blauersouth is set in a shelter for queer youth and features two older lesbian heroes. “In the Ring” by Audrey Redpath & Kelly and Nicole Matthews ties into Ms. Redpath’s webcomic Symbol. “Get Geared Up” by Sfé R.Monster tells about the debut of a superhero almost entirely through newspaper clippings and items pinned to a bulletin board. In “Run” by Aud Koch two superheroes sharing how they first manifested their powers. “Stardust” by Apollo-pop & Milkrainn goes beyond an urban setting for hard science fiction and fantasy.

All these stories effectively hint at larger worlds in a short number of pages, either through dialogue or small details. Some read like the first chapter of longer works, while others hint at previous adventures and others provide glimpses into long-running series. Like the best anthologies, it provides an enriching sample of greater talent to discover. Oath is available for purchase on Amazon.