Tee Franklin

graphic fiction - bisexual/pansexual Hazel Johnson and Mari McCray met at age 13 in Paterson, New Jersey (1963) and though their respective mothers/grandmothers forbid them to see each other anymore as teenagers, they find each other again in their sixties and then must decide what that means for their husbands/kids/grandkids (Englewood, New Jersey - 2015).

straightforward love story, most remarkable because of its representation with diverse characters (crowdfunded publication)

February 2024 bingo challenge - 2-word title, Black cover model, title includes "love", under 290 pages… (more)

Soooo sweet! I was very excited to see this comic at the library after seeing it promoted online, and it fulfilled expectations.

Writer Tee Franklin delivers a tender story of two African-American women who are starcrossed childhood sweethearts and reunite 50 years later. She hits all the right notes when it comes to a sensitive, authentic portrayal of queer African-American characters and the bittersweet experience of finding love in the last chapter of life. There are moments where dialogue or storytelling are clunky—a frame story, for instance, that doesn't get resolved by the end—but overall it's an engaging story with plot twists that surprised me.

I adored the art, drawn by Jenn St-Onge and beautifully colored by Joy San. St-Onge's characters are so expressive, and she does a wonderful job portraying them through the different periods of their lives.

It should go without saying that the creators deserves all the accolades for helping expand the range of stories that comics can tell. More of this, please!… (more)