At turns moving and charming, whimsical and heartbreaking. I loved seeing all of these different explorations on trans and nonbinary experiences depicted in so many varied art styles. I loved every page of this book, and did not want it to end.

"The Out Side: Trans & Nonbinary Comics" is a short but cute collection of comics by non-cis people about their queerness. The authors are not only trans, non-binary or a mix of both, but also come from many different cultures all over the world. It doesn't matter who you are, this comic collection gives a voice to all kinds of genderqueer people. I love that every author gets their own little introduction in the book, so that you have a chance to get to know them before getting to know their art. There are definitely a few authors that I am going to check out later on. The collection makes sure that you understand that there isn't one kind of genderqueer person, and they all have a different view on their queerness and a different story to tell. Also, there's a list of resources at the end of the book, for those of us who want to learn more. Definitely recommend to everyone who wants to learn more about what it means to be genderqueer.

Comic anthologies are great to find new-to-you artists you might enjoy reading more from, and this was no different. I already ordered a couple of books from the library! This being a trans and non-binary anthology, it was also a really great collection of different perspectives and different ways to be trans. I loved this because sometimes you really need to be reminded you're not alone.

This was a great own voices look at trans and non-binary. I think it will be relatable for those in the community, and for those who are not I hope it serves as a learning tool to connect to them/grow empathy.

4.5/5 ⭐️

I absolutely loved this anthology. It was so interesting, funny, and real. Truly a great way to read about so many trans and non-binary people's stories. 29 creators shared little pieces of their lives with us, and having that exist all in one graphic novel is truly beautiful.

Some of my personal favorites from the anthology.

• What's the point then?" by Jam Aden (he/they)
• First Times by Min E. Christensen (they/them)
• Slow and Steady by Lake Fama (they/them)
• How I Got These Sweet Nips by Lucas - The Nifty Fox (he/they)
• Guilty by Mel Valentine Vargas (they/them)
• Not a Costume by Al Acevedo (they/them)

My only note would be while I overall really enjoyed the graphic novel I think one thing we should continue to be aware of, even within the queer community, is reaffirming gender stereotypes. There were a few stories in which activities were linked to girl/boy typical stereotypes and not challenged (for example video games=boy). And while the author's experiences, gender identity, and gender expression are completely valid, I also think it's important to not continue to perpetuate those stereotypes people are actively trying to break down.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

I absolutely loved this book. The illustrations were vibrant and eyecatching.
The storylines were amazing.

I can't wait to buy a physical copy of this one!

This anthology has a ton of different trans & nonbinary comic artists that are sharing their journey with gender and sexuality. I've heard of a lot of the 29 comics artists in this anthology but it was really cool to be introduced to people that I've never heard of before. A lot of these stories focus on when the artists were coming out but there are a few that talk about later in life after people have figured everything out. Overall, I thought that this was a great collection and one that would be a great resource if you are questioning.

The Out Side is an anthology of nonfiction comics by and about trans and nonbinary artists. It’s processing. It’s affirming. It’s healing. it’s cathartic. I laughed. I cried. I felt for the true stories and feelings that these artists poured onto these pages. Between the emptiness, the peace, the confusion, the denial, the very love that each artist holds for themselves and their journeys to land at finding home within themselves, the whole rainbow (heh) of emotions takes place in this anthology.

Some special (spoilery[?]) moments that really stuck out to me:
-In “Genderfluid,” Vixtopher finding safety in darkness, which holds space for us rest and grow.
-In “Going Home,” Matteo Montero-Murillo discussing how his therapist pointed out that nine years old is a vulnerable age in understanding the rules of the world yet not old enough to question them and how his Mexican upbringing influenced the way his family and culture treated him and his queerness. (This comic was my favorite from the whole anthology.)
-How in “Girl!” by Wren, her community came through to help him figure out her identity.
-And an Honorable Mention to Lucas the Nifty Fox for taking the reader through his journey for his “teet yeet!” I really appreciate taking the reader through the entirety of their “chesticle chop.”

I am excited to be gifting this book to one of my besties this coming Christmas. Thank you, Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing, for the ARC!

Overall ok. Just like any anthology, I enjoyed some and didn't enjoy some. The art style was very wide and some of them were more my preference than others. I really did enjoy some of the comics and connected with them. But some of them just feel a little flat and were a bit too short.

A Special Thanks To Andrews McMeel Publishing and Net Galley For The Opportunity To Review This Title.

We’re taking a brief break from the usual reviews for a collection of stories about real-life heroes, ones that want to be their true selves and dare to pursue their dreams in the face of adversity and in the wake of policies made to exclude them from society or make them feel like an outcast. This is about The Out Side: Trans & NonBinary Comics.
The Out Side: Trans & NonBinary Comics is a comics anthology that features stories from 29 Trans and NonBinary comic artists who want to share their stories of self-discovery and acceptance. Each story details the artists’ journey with genders and identities. It features work from creators such as Dana Simpson, Wren Chavers, The Kao, and more.

In each story, we get to witness a journey through the eyes of each artist, including post-transition, reclaiming an aspect of their identity. What this anthology does well is offer the readers a valuable learning tool for those who aren’t familiar with gender identity and offer guidance for those who are currently experiencing familiar situations that are brought forward in each story.

Overall, it is a wonderful book with encouraging messages, humor, morals, and most of all, hope. Trying to find your gender identity is a tough journey with societal and cultural stereotypes being mixed in with expectations. It could even be met with dark situations at times, but it is thanks to this anthology that helps address questions that people have faced in their journey of self-discovery and offers an emotional and loving message that you are loved and that you matter.

The Out Side is a book that is desperately needed at a time when certain political parties that make hate-filled policies, and encourage Book Bans under the guise of being “Pro-Women” or “Pro-Family” harm not only the LGBTQIA+ community but also harm the rest of society. I recommend this book not only as an ally but also for people to read and support the stories that these creators who made this possible. The Out Side: Trans & Nonbinary Comics will be available to purchase on September 26th.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

This was my first graphic novel anthology, and I LOVED it. The range of art styles was amazing.

I also loved how diverse the range of identities! So many trans femme voices which is what I want to see in an anthology about trans* identities because they are always underrepresented when talking about trans* identities and represented in media.

Everyone should go read this!

With 29 different authors you'd think that this 176-page comic anthology wouldn't truly be enough to fully illustrate 29 different personal journeys of self-discovery and acceptance. To this day, almost a week after I read it, I still am blown away and utterly stunned by the magic the book has weaved.

I cried, laughed, and ached. This is one of the most beautiful things I have ever been blessed to read in a long while. It truly is a love letter to not only members of the trans community, but any and all queer folk who just struggle with finding acceptance not only within in a community but also within themselves.

I couldn't help but think of all the beautiful queer people I have in my life with every flip of the page. This book truly needs to be celebrated and shared with everyone. I cannot wait to buy myself and my friends copies of this beautiful book.

One thing I'd also love to celebrate about this is among the 29 artists, at least 16? are by POC artists. and a whopping THREE of those are Filipino: Liam Coballes, Ashi, and Kay Fantone! I truly, truly love that representation so much.

I urge you to pick this book up! Thank you to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A collection of comics by 29 different artists, all about their experiences being transgender. Sometimes, they’re about growing up and realizing they are trans. Other times, it’s about a journey, post-transition, to reclaim certain aspects of their identity which others criticize as being from their assigned gender, such as having long hair or wearing earrings. There’s reflections post-surgery and many meetings with former and future selves.

The art style and ability of each creator differs. Some are absolutely stunning pieces, with unique styles and fantastic coloring. Others look a bit more like a high-schooler who has been drawing a few years, but who hasn’t come into their own, yet. However, the STORY of each is heartfelt and well-done.

This is a great pick for a young adult or new adult who is going through their own transition, or who just wants to learn more. With 29 different artists, readers will learn that being trans isn’t some cookie-cutter experience. And, with 29 different artists, you’ll have a whole list of people to follow on social media, and who might have longer comics available! I particularly recommend Dana Simpson’s “Phoebe and Her Unicorn” series!

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.

thank you so much to the publisher and to netgalley for letting me read an arc of “the outside”! i loved this so much, it was so inspiring and made me very grateful that this kind of book can exist for queer and trans* people. it was heartwarming and easy to read, and i really loved getting to see stories from such a diverse group of artists! i will definitely be recommending this book to everyone!

I just finished this and wow - I think this is my favorite graphic novel I have read so far! This book features a lot of different artists' mini comics, and every single one of them was incredibly beautiful - the art, the story, and the message they wanted to convey. All experiences and stories were different, but so powerful and beautifully told. Moreover, the artists all have different backgrounds, and this really shows in their stories and drawing styles, which I thought was absolutely beautiful. I can imagine that especially a lot of trans* and nonbinary readers will feel very connected to the experiences of all of these amazing artists. But I would also recommend it to cis people wanting to learn more about the trans* and nonbinary experience. And also, again, the art was just stunning!!!

3.5 stars.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

This was exactly the book that I needed while being surrounded by lgbt+ hatred... I liked some of the mini comics more than others, but they were still all pretty good in their own way!
Some of them were a bit hard to read tho, so that's why the rating is lower.
Would still highly recommend this tho!

Thank you NetGalley for providing this e-ARC, all opinions are my own.
I usually don't read any comics, but I've seen some people on booktok rave about this. And I have to say, this was great! The drawings are beuatiful and colorful and the stories are heartfelt and interesting. I loved it so much! And since this is from several artists you get to read so many differnt stories!

I can fully recommend this to anyone that likes comics and to people that don't usually like them (like me) !

It's quite a diverse collection in terms of artistic styles. There's a bit of everything, and I liked practically all of them, something unusual for me. From color to black and white, American style to manga, realistic, fantasy, abstract, it's a visual spectrum that can easily be compared to the spectrum of gender identity.

I loved that each and every one of these stories felt honest, no sugar, no frills, but full of reality. I've always had a bit of a hard time understanding non-binary identities, but this reading helped clear up my ideas. It didn't give me all the answers, but it was a great starting point.

However, I felt that some stories were very similar, if not in the experiences, then in the execution. The reading didn't feel heavy, but there were a few times when I felt like I had already read this or that experience. Obviously some are going to look alike because that's life, but I feel that it didn't favor reading much.

Overall, this is a beautiful book, full of colors, encouraging messages, morals, and hope. Taking into account that there's a constant attack on trans and non-binary identities, it's a book that, beyond entertaining, also educates, and there's no better weapon in an ignorant society than education. The best compliment they can give it is to seek to ban it from schools. We all know that many will read it if that happens, and I look forward to seeing it.

This beautiful collection of comics really sums up so many of the feelings I’ve had while trying to navigate my gender identity journey. I laughed, I cried, I was basically just a mess of emotions the entire time.

There are so many different styles of illustration throughout the book too. They were each unique but just beautiful in their own ways, which I think also connects to the experiences each individual creator has been through.

I enjoyed them all but my favorite was the comic by Coco Ouwerkerk which features a panel that is really the most authentic way I’ve seen my pansexuality described, basically ever.

This was a comprehensive, sweet, and very uplifting graphic novel, full of joy and understanding. There were many different art styles, and I was surprised to find that I liked all of them to some degree, as this is somewhat rare for a collection of small comics from different artist - which is what this is.

While it was clear and informative, I don't think you'll get a lot out of this, if you are already pretty informed about trans and queer issues. I would recommend this for children, and for people who haven't spent much time in queer circles and want to learn more.