Earlier this week publisher Abrams announced they would be implementing a line of graphic novels that would focus on increasing and broadening the often-overlooked voices of creators from the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual community.
Abrams has plans to launch the new graphic novel line called “Surely Book” in 2021 and will be curated by Mariko Tamaki. Tamaki is no stranger to the medium, she has worked on books such as X-23, Tomb Raider, and an original work titled Skim illustrated by Jillian Tamaki her cousin. Skim is about a Catholic school student who falls for her female English teacher. Tamaki also wrote “Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me“, illustrated by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell which tells the story of an on-again, off-again relationship between two high school girls.
The Surely Books line of graphic novels will have something for every reader, boasting stories both fiction and non-fiction. These new graphic novels will take a close look at the activism, achievements, and struggles of the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. community. Schedule first for release by Surely Books is a novel by Terry Blas and Claudia Aguirre about friends who make a surprise discovery one summer and two biographies, the first about novelist Patricia Highsmith, by Grace Ellis and the other about Revolutionary War hero Baron von Steuben, by Josh Trujillo and Levi Hastings.
Tamaki made several appearances at this weekend’s New York Comic Con which also included a panel about inclusive comics at 2:45 p.m. on Saturday at the Con.
“I am so excited to have this opportunity to take on a new role in the creative process, to learn more with the writers and artists I’m working with, to find new ways to support queer creators and queer stories, new voices in our community,” Tamaki said about the new Surely Books line of graphic novels.