The Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults

Despite the current growth of graphic novel popularity with teens and the increasing representation of the LGBTQ community in those graphic novels, there has been little work done to evaluate these works in terms of how the LGBTQ characters are presented. Using Jenkins’s adaptations of Lerner’s, Bishop’s, and Chauncey’s frameworks—as well as Jenkins’s own framework that combined these three for use with LGBTQ adolescent literature—the authors tested whether these frameworks were suitable for evaluating LGBTQ graphic novels for teens. Graphic novels deemed exemplary through their inclusion on the Rainbow List, Stonewall Awards, and Lambda Literary Awards were examined. Findings indicated that while these graphic novels offer positive portrayals of LGBTQ individuals, they are lacking in racial and sexual diversity. In addition, the frameworks proved highly useful but not totally sufficient for analyzing graphic materials.