Blackward -- Lawrence Lindell, Paperback

Black, weird, awkward and proud of it. Welcome to the club!

Tired of feeling like you don't belong? Join the club. It's called the Section. You'd think a spot to chill, chat, and find community would be much easier to come by for nerdy, queer punks. But when four longtime, bookish BFFs--Lika, Amor, Lala, and Tony--can't find what they need, they take matters into their own hands and create a space where they can be a hundred percent who they are: Black, queer, and weird.

The group puts a call out for all awkward Black folks to come on down to the community center to connect. But low attendance and IRL run-ins with trolls of all kinds only rock everybody with anxiety. As our protagonists start to question the merits of their vision, a lifetime of insecurities--about not being good enough or Black enough--bubbles to the surface. Will they find a way to turn it around in time for their radical brainchild, the Blackward Zine Fest?

Lawrence Lindell's characters pop from the page in playful Technicolor. From mental health to romance, micro--and macro--aggressions to joy, our crew tackles everything life throws at them in this heartwarming tale about building a place to belong and the power of community.

Author: Lawrence Lindell
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
Published: 09/26/2023
Pages: 212
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.01lbs
Size: 7.90h x 5.82w x 0.74d
ISBN: 9781770466784
Age Range: 13-17

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 07/15/2023
Publishers Weekly 08/14/2023
Booklist 09/15/2023 pg. 37

About the Author
Lawrence Lindell is an artist, musician, and educator from California who works in many artistic disciplines, including comics, music, illustration, and mixed media. He is the cofounder of Laneha House.