LGBT comics - how to tag on a preview level without giving the wrong idea?

[Likri]

The title is a mouthful but bear with me.

So, I recently started my first original comic - it features a cast of LGBT characters, like, almost no one is straight. But the themes of their sexuality aren't the most prominent, no more than heterosexuality would be more of a topic in a standard romance story. It's just who they are, it's their relationships, not that much of a soapbox or a topic of discussion. And romance itself even isn't the main storyline.

So, my problem is, how would it be suitable to demonstrate it on a preview icon level? So that people seeking out representation find it easier and unsuspecting readers don't squirm? Of course, I put it in the description portion, but since I've seen story previews having BL and GL warnings, I was thinking on this. Though it'll have a fair dose of cheesy BL tropes, I feel that that tag would be misleading both for viewers who love the specific "style" BL stories unfold, and those, who don't like the excessiveness of this tropes. Especially, since BL isn't even the center of attention for a fair duration of the story, it's just there.

I was thinking of maybe just adding an LGBT+ to the preview thumbnail. Or would it be visual clutter?

Hope this makes sense. Here is how the preview looks right now.

175 ° Celsius | Tapas

[mong2]

I think it's fine to add a "LGBT+" on the thumbnail. It'd make it easier for people who are trying to find/avoid LGBT comics.

Usually when I see that, I just think the story features an all or mainly BL/GL/LGBT cast, not that it's an LGBT romance. That and I prefer to know what I'm expecting before I press into a comic. Though it's fine as long as you stated it somewhere (thumbnail, synopsis, comic itself, author's comment on the first page/chapter).

[vothnthorvaldson]

Ha! I just subscribed to your comic

I'm waiting for the answers because I have the same problem.

I have a story (comic) with a gay couple and a non-binary secondary, but important character, but the story is not really heavy on romance and I don't speak a whole lot about the non-binarity of that other character. It's only a facet of the story.

I hate the idea of warning people of such themes. I have no special interest in warning homophobes, and people who are simply not super interested in lgbt themes can still enjoy my story for all the rest of it.

I don't want either to get readers who would read my story ONLY because of that aspect, because they may be disappointed when there are whole chapters with no mention of that.

But I still wanted to have some mention of the lgbt themes because there are also a few chapters mostly focused on that. I really like the idea of having these themes introduced naturally in stories that mostly speak about something else, so I think there may be other persons who would like that too, and I want them to know that's what my story is about.

I also think of people, especially young ones, who have no problems with lgbt themes but who may live around people who do, and in that point of view I almost want a warning, so these persons know they have to be careful when they read.

So at the end I did mention it in my summary, but in a way I find pretty ridiculous even if it may do the job?

Moonover Marsh | Tapas

[joannekwan]

A small rainbow flag in the corner of the thumbnail might work too if you don't want letters!

[Croik]

On Tapas BL romance is so common/popular that I don't think anything sees the BL an GL labels as "warnings" as much as "advertisements." A small LGBT+ in one corner of the icon seems totally fine to me.

I've also seen creators but it in the work title itself: "Title | LGBT" or something similar.

[MK_Wizard]

I'm not LGBT+ writing expert, but my suggestion for well done romantic stories in general is to keep it classy, believable and natural. Don't make it forced or just do it for attention. Concentrate on making a good story and make your readers interested in your characters individually first before putting them together.

[ratique]

A small rainbow flag in the corner of the thumbnail

That's an adorable idea!

I think LGBT+ is definitely a good way to go in your case, but a rainbow would certainly be a classy solution also.

[Likri]

Well, since I put the story in the romance category (relationship matters are a big part there, even if it's not straight up "boy meets boy and here's how it goes" thing), it'd be easy to assume that the romance there would also be lgbt. I'm doing it mostly for those who like this stuff and not to mislead, since the main character has a lot of interaction with women before it's balantly obvious he's gay, as well as a best girl friend, and I don't want people to feel cheated if they think they'd be the main OTP.

[Likri]

Hi, thanks for subscribing! =)

By all means I'm not afraid of homophobes, but I'm more looking out for those interested to fing the story easier, without straight up putting a same-sex couple on the preview. Of course this may cut off those who could enjoy the story, but if a lgbt label puts them off on sight - they most likely would ditch the comics when the themes do come in play anyway.

[Likri]

Yeah, that's one of the reasons I don't want to use BL - since there are specific expectations from such stuff and I also read around here, that some people interested in lgbt find it as a sign of a story more on the side of fetishizing gay relationship, than representing them. And, sure, it could earn me a quick readership boost, but... yeah.

[KRWright]

On Tapas, I use BL and GL notifiers. On Wattpad and elsewhere I use LGBT notifiers. The reason for this? The market on Tapas. Most of the clicks are coming from BL readers, who are more than happy to read books that focus on plot or aren’t specifically BL-tropey but are more used to the “BL” label than the LGBT one.

Personally, I’d prefer it if the alphabet soup was just a sub-category that could be selected from a moral standpoint, but then from a marketing POV, the BL/GL tags sell here.

[Likri]

Thanks for the imput - I guess it's logical to work with what the audience is used to, so I think I'll use both BL and GL for now, since it'll show a spectrum. I won't pretend that I'm above tags that sell either, lol, and the readers, I guess, can decide for themselves, based on the style of narration, if the story fits their taste.