Geeks OUT Presents: POWER

The cover of Geeks OUT Presents: POWER by John Curtis Jennison, Jr.

In June 2015, the nonprofit organization Geeks OUT put out its first publication, which was partially inspired by John Jennison Jr.’s battle with a form of pancreatic cancer. The story of how this month’s selection came about is recounted in its opening pages, and is as inspiring and enervating as the comics contained therein. Geeks OUT Presents: POWER has stories and artwork from more than thirty contributors from all over the world, all centered around the theme of power. As Mr. Jennison writes in his Editor’s Note, “Life doesn’t stop because you feel powerless.” (Full disclosure: I am a frequent contributor to Geeks OUT, but I didn’t join until 2016.)

The rich metaphors of superheroes are used to great effect. The illustrated narrative “Cutie <3 Alert!” by Dis (Dani Romero) tells a sweet story with serious themes about depression and anxiety. HughTims’s “Personal Power” is about the relationship difficulties between two gay superheroes. Jason Tseng’s “Find Your Light” teases a larger universe in the touching story of one member of a superpowered family coming to terms with herself through magic. Jason A. Quest’s “’AC/DC,’ or ‘For Those About to Rock’” provides some much-needed bi representation in the world of queer superheroes. Rogan Josh’s and Rex Ogle’s “What Really Matters” is a meditation on the meaning of the word power and a superhero love story in just two pages. While not a superhero story, Matt Brossard’s and BillZanowitz’s “Teammates” is a sweet and affecting story about the effect superhero stories have on a gay football player throughout his life.

There are many great autobiographical and nonfiction entries. Beck Kramer tells an autobiographical story about the power of ritual and repetition in “Passages.” Kori Michele shares an example of how seemingly small things matter a great deal in “Supersuit.” Sam Orchard’s “A Question of Power” is a strong short about the necessity of intersectionality. Stevie Wilson provides a lesson everyone needs to learn in “Empowerment through Representation.”

Jeff Krell’s long-running Jayson character has a short Christmas story to help raise awareness about homeless queer youth in “Jayson Helps the Homeless.” Bob Ferry’s “Transform” is about supporting friends and standing up to online bullying, but also giant robots. XAEL (Alex Mottier) uses video game metaphors for a delightful coming-out story in “Power Punch.”

Several contributors interpret power in one page. Rey Arzeno provides a pin-up of “IRA, the Red Gear Guard” with sexy muscles spilling out of spandex. David Pietrandrea’s “An Empowered Gentleman” is a more urbane and no less attractive illustration. “Love Power” is proclaimed loud and clear in a one-page image from Abby Denson. Alvaro Galvan’s “Queer Science!” is a work of collage art reminiscent of pulp magazine covers.

Several other genres are on display. Will Varner’s “The Hunt” is a sexy story of two cavemen going after a mammoth and each other. Vernon Bauer provides a story of Drake Rogers, Queer Secret Agent in “White Russian Roulette” that is as timely as it is exciting. Gauthier de Booseré contributes the short but dense “Warpaint,” a fantasy story centering around the calm before a fight. Joe Corallo provided the story, and Sam Johns the art, for a poignant story about love during the destruction of the universe in “The End Is the Beginning.” Mike Stop Continues’s and Jackson Eather’s “Sometimes Stars” is a watercolor-style comic whose childlike wonder serves as a counterpoint to real-world hardship. Adrian Ferbeyre’s haunting “Siren Song” opens the book with a female-centric story about love at sea. Lawrence Gullo has a short story from “Bash Back,” a welcome contribution to the ever-expanding queersploitation genre. Allison Kolarik’s “The Effects of Gravity on Sugar in a Sterile Vacuum” experiments with the form of comics by using poetry and fragmented images.

The remaining contributions are very cute and funny. Bill Roundy goes back to ancient times for the wordless “Soft Power.” Scott Sosebee’s one-page gag strip “Geeky Gary and Bobby the Bully” has a twist ending and an important message about standing up to bullying. Justin Winslow’s “ROBOT and UNICORN: POWER” is a series of four delightful one-page, six-panel gag strips that tell of the relationship struggles of the titular couple.

As always, I would encourage readers to check out these individual artists. This book is an example of the breadth available in the anthology form and the comics medium by providing creative control and a broad theme. Geeks OUT Presents: POWER is available for purchase from Northwest Press.