I've Seen The Future, and It's Queer – The Dreams of Queer Utopia Review
I've Seen The Future, and It's Queer
The Dreams of Queer Utopia
14 short comics written by various queer creators
Editor: H-P Lehkonen
Published
by DigiComix Oy
Fiction
writers love to speculate on dystopian futures. Although there are a
few examples, utopias are rarely imagined and written about. I think
that speaks to the state of our world, or at least our view of it.
It's much easier to imagine things getting worse instead of better.
That ideal doesn't hold true for the creators whose stories are
featured in The Dreams of Queer Utopia. This collection of web-comics
imagines futures where queer people are universally accepted and
safe. Many of the comics also express dreams of society embracing
nature or dreams of society uniting to combat climate change. These
are noble dreams; dreams I hope we can all one day accomplish
together. As work continues toward making these dreams into reality,
hopefully these web comics inspire all of us to do better and be
better.
One
unique thing about these web comics is that each creator gives a
short introduction on the page that proceeds their contribution to
the collection. These pages include the creator's social media
information, so if a comic speaks to the reader, they can easily follow
the creator and support them further. Each of the fourteen comics in
this collection offer a short slice of life narrative. Some are cute,
some are hopeful, and some are even informative. I'd never heard of
Solarpunk before reading this comic and was inspired to do my own
research to learn more about this method of environmental
sustainability.

Each
comic has its own speculative fiction focus. Some imagine a world
similar to ours, where the views and negative actions toward
queer people have changed for the better. Others have more of a
science-fiction theme. Just like their themes and settings, each comic
is drawn in a different style. The entire gamut of comic illustration
styles is on display in this collection. Many look like the
traditional paneled comics found in newspapers. Others are
practically works of art. I really enjoyed the comics that were like
graphic pamphlets designed to both tell a story and relay their
message of positivity and inclusion.
The
comics collected in The Dreams of Queer Utopia posit that it's time
to address climate change, and it's time to change our society's
social and political climates. If you enjoy The Dreams of Queer
Utopia, be sure to check out the site's
other web comics featuring LGBTQIA+ characters and produced by queer
creators.
Writing: 5 / 5
Art: 4 / 5
OVERALL: 4.5 / 5