Set in a parallel world inhabited by paranormal creatures and magical humans, Les Normaux by Janine Janssen with S. Al Abado contains a cornucopia of diverse queer love stories. Compiled from a popular Webtoon comic, this first volume is sure to create new fans of the sweet and heartwarming series, which is drawn in a lush, colorful style that neatly balances realistic figures with cartoonish flourishes.
Sébastien was raised in the human world by non-magical parents and recently moved to the magical world with his magical aunt's help. Though he's awkward and afraid of meeting new people, he impulsively visits a queer bar one night and kisses a super-hot vampire who turns out to be his neighbor Elia. Elia is not as suave as Sébastien thinks, however, and the two dance around each other, longing for more than friendship but unsure how to make that happen or if their feelings are reciprocated. It doesn't help that Sébastien's homework accidentally turns Elia's hand pink, and neither is sure whether they're spending time together to fix the mistake or out of genuine desire. Meanwhile, Sébastien is befriended by two men also taking magic classes, and Elia's group of theater friends have their own romantic and sexual adventures, especially Ronnie, who's great at giving dating advice but unprepared when it's her own heart on the line.
The creators' skill in setting exactly the right tone for each moment is perfectly encapsulated in a sequence depicting a usually cynical character's intense first date; emotion pumps off the pages solely via images. Scenes of raw vulnerability and laugh-out-loud humor beautifully render the complexity of developing adult relationships both romantic and platonic. --Dainy Bernstein, freelance reviewer