#as you can see a perfectly ordinary slice-of-life webcomic

[caprice-nisei-enjoyer]

Questionable Content characters as best as I can remember em

For @rustingbridges even though they didn't ask

Marten - Original protagonist. Local hipster, music nerd, coffee drinker. His social and romantic sagas were the core of the story for several years. Works at the university library. Dating Claire.

Pintsize - Marten's wacky robot roommate. Loves gross stuff and inappropriate sexual comments despite being the size of a medium dog and made only of ovals and rectangles.

Faye - An outgoing, no-nonsense southern girl Marten met in a bar. Now his roommate. Became the secondary romantic lead as the series evolved. Had a will-they-won't-they dynamic with Marten, then dated Angus, now dating Bubbles. Used to work at Coffee of Doom, recently opened a repair shop for robots.

Dora - Owner of Coffee of Doom, a local hipster haunt. Proudly goth. Dated Marten for a while but now engaged to Tai.

Steve - Marten's best friend and longtime roommate. Less anxious than most of the rest of the cast. Moved out and was forgotten for several years; turns out he joined the CIA and worked as an international spy/hitman/man of mystery.

Natalya? Natasha? - Steve's hot Russian spy girlfriend who proves that all that spy stuff was real, you guys!

Sven - Dora's brother and local man-slut. Absurdly successful career writing awful country music. He and Faye were entangled briefly, which caused him to decide to be less slutty.

Marten's landlord - This guy showed up for like one strip, right?

Hannelore - Local manic blonde with severe OCD. Barista at Coffee of Doom. She's fabulously wealthy but lives in Marten's apartment building. Born in space, circumnavigated the world as exposure therapy to help her OCD. Able to infuse her love and support for her friends into the tea she brews.

Winslow - Hannelore's AI roommate. Anxious, sweet, looks like an iPod with arms and legs.

Hannelore's dad - Eccentric rich genius, and pioneer of AI tech. Lives on a space station with a crew of scientists (human and AI).

Station - The sentient space station AI. Has a crush on Hannelore, who he helped raise as a child. I guess it's similar to them being childhood friends?

Hannelore's mom - Corporate tycoon. Fabulously successful due to monetization of Hannelore's dad's work and her ruthless approach to business.

Penelope - Former barista at Coffee of Doom. Dating Will. Blonde, but not Pizza Girl.

Pizza Girl - Local food-themed superheroine. Blonde. Bears a striking resemblance to Penelope.

Will - Local fancy man, hipster, and bartender at [hipster bar with funny name]. Looks great in formal wear with a monocole. Dating Penelope.

Tai - Local librarian at the university library. Marten's boss. Proud lesbian. Once brought Marten to support her in impulsively getting her clit pierced. Engaged to Dora.

Emily - Local engineering(?) student. Wacky genius who often gets lost in her own world. Voted "most likely to either save the world or end it in the next decade" by the UN Security Council. Barista at Coffee of Doom.

Claire - Local undergrad in library science(?). Currently looking at grad schools. Trans. Family trait of bright red hair. Dating Marten.

Marten's mom - A dominatrix and former porn star. Dating Sam's dad.

Sam - Local rambunctious youth. Maybe 10-12? Runs a side hustle selling "sprays" (doodles in permanent marker) to AIs who visit Faye and Bubbles' store. This is their primary source of revenue and advertising.

Sam's Dad - ??? I don't remember shit about him.

Roko - Former cop AI turned nonprofit worker. Bread fetishist; major customer of The Secret Bakery. Do Not Speak Her Full Name.

Yay - Pan-gender pan-incarnate pan-galactic AI collective(?). A rogue AI with the skills to hack the world but the inclination to annoy people and pet cats. Non-binary icon. Roko's roommate.

Millefeuille - Roko's boss at the AI rights nonprofit. Lovably incompetent. Has a crush on Emily.

Bubbles - Retired military android. Shy, but deeply loyal. Big lady. Engaged to Faye and a partner in the repair shop.

Punchbot - Faye and Bubbles' best customer. Loves punching, even if it's happening to him.

Eliot - Large anxious boi. Baker at The Secret Bakery, bouncer at [hipster bar with funny name]. Dating (?) Clinton.

Clinton - Claire's brother. Also a redhead. I have no idea what he does for a living. AI / human relations enthusiast (but not in a sexy way). Has a robot hand. Dating (?) Eliot.

Aurelia - Claire and Clinton's mom. A bit of an empty nester, recently adopted a stray dog named Cosmo and started streaming video games on Twitch. Furry anime avatar to match her screen name, MommyMilkers420. 200k followers.

The Turkeys - Profane wild fowl. They show up every Thanksgiving.

[yurimother]

LGBTQ Comic Review - Amongst Us Book 1

A masterful combination of comedy, subtle romance, and incredible sensuality

I make no attempts to hide my complete admiration and infatuation with Shilin Huang's Yuri webcomic Amongst Us. The slice of life AU featuring reimagined versions of the lead characters from fantasy series Carciphona as a lesbian couple has held a special place in my heart for a long time. I named the series one of the best Yuri works of the past one-hundred years, can frequently be found lurking in the author's Twitch streams, and even have a wall in my office dedicated to the artwork of the main couple (or I did before my office became a remote classroom). So, when a Kickstarter by Shilin and Hiveworks Comics launched promising a print version of the work, I was eager to support it financially and promote it with my humble platform. The Kickstarter took place in March, and books were initially estimated for release in May of 2020. However, as you have probably realized by the dates alone, the world went very South around this time. A combination of disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, a healthy amount of bad luck, and what I am inclined to believe, for various reasons, was some awful mismanagement by Hiveworks led to numerous delays. Indeed, by the time the book finally shipped, I had moved, so my copy arrived a little later as it had to be forwarded. But, at the end of this frustrating and anticipation-building event, I finally have the volume in my hands, and it was worth the wait. While I adore the webcomic, this gorgeous print volume completely enthralls me. The book is absolutely the preferred way to read this spectacular comic.

Before getting into the exquisite details of Amongst Us Book 1: Soulmates, I need to take a minute to praise how well this book is put together. The paperback binding is thick and features amazing spot glass that sparkles in the light. This feature only accentuates the fantastic and bright the cover illustration of main characters Veloce and Blackbird loving holding each other is. The back cover has a simpler but more imaginative illustration of the two flying through the sky, and the character's expressions tell you everything you need to know about this fantastic, odd couple. There are a few things you will notice upon opening the volume. The first is how well Amongst Us made the challenging transition from vertical webcomic to the page. The assembly and paneling are fantastic and clear, and chapters feature stylized illustrations and title cards. You will then see the inside cover, a powerful display that perfectly contrasts the front's glowing and tender love. Finally, there is Shilin's presents moving forward and dedication, where she lovingly dedicates the book to her partner, Kristen.

I assure you, as good as the book's presentation and assembly is, the contents within are even better. Amongst Us follows Veloce and Blackbird's bombastic relationship. The two women are eccentric and striking musicians in their early twenties, and I swear you will never forget them. The slice of life storylines are, per the genre's definition, mundane and include events like shopping at the mall, riding the train, and having lunch with a friend. The charming simplicity of the story serves well to the reactions of the characters. Shilin effortlessly transitions from adorable moments of affection to explosive and hilarious comedy and irresistible and delightful moments of sexual tension; Veloce's neck and jawline alone could topple a monarchy. Often, slice of life works can become dull or repetitive, but these stories and the frequent changes in tone help the reader stay engaged and excited.

Putting slice of life aside for a moment, it is also important to note that Amongst Us is also has an interesting place within the Yuri genre, or "Girl's Love/GL" as it is often called in webcomic circles (originally an analogous term of Boy's Love). Webcomics have often been a bit more adventurous with their storylines and styles than Japanese manga. While the genre rose to popularity in the space thanks to digital manhwa and manhua, some (not all) of the Yuri tropes did not carry over between the similar mediums. Many modern webcomics and webtoons take their inspiration more from manhwa and manhua GL, which has developed its own canon and tropes over the years. However, even for a webcomic, Shilin's work feels somewhat divorced from most other worlds of Yuri. This first volume exists mainly against the Yuri genre's expectations. However, the next book, which flashes back to the couple's origin, undoubtedly is more in line with convention, for better or worse. It feels like the author decided to screw the norms and write a work that she would enjoy, and I am so glad that she did. Veloce and Blackbird are young adults, out of school in an established relationship with no drama. This (sadly) unconventional setting is made all the more irregular because of just how distinctive, and unwonted Blackbird and Veloce are.

Blackbird and Veloce, originally from the fantasy world of Carciphona, take on a new life, literally, in this wonderful modern reimagining and homage. You do not need to be a fan of the original work to enjoy their bizarre and larger-than-life personalities. Indeed, when I read Amongst Us online for the first time, I had not ever even heard of Carciphona. Veloce is the quieter and more stoic of the two, although she is not afraid of showing a more relatable and human side as she reacts to Blackbirds wild antics. Veloce's (not)straight man approach is hilariously sobering. But, her best moments are in those when she lets loose a little bit, like when she is rendered drooling by the promise of her favorite smoothie or in her stoic yet alluring flirtations with Blackbird, only to get close enough to steal a healthy chomp of ice cream.

Blackbird, on her part, is completely insane. She continuously pulls of wild antics like jumping on Veloce to surprise her or singing an especially threatening song after a glorious battle over lunch. However, she is perfectly capable of showing her love and admiration for Veloce in her own cheeky way. However, true to form, each softer or more personal moment between the two is often immediately and perfectly juxtaposed with comedy, with the apparent exception of the book's touching and thoughtful finale. Veloce and Blackbird will both more than please readers individually, but you will fall in love with them as a couple. I must have read this at least a few dozen times between the webtoon and the book, and I am just as enchanted as ever by their loud and unapologetic love.

The ordinary misadventures of Blackbird and Veloce are accompanied by genuinely astounding artwork. No, that statement does not do Shilin's illustrations justice. Veloce and Blackbird lead from the page thanks to stunning, full-color illustrations that detail every moment of hilarity. Every movement from the slightest smirk to the over-the-top dramatizations of regular events thoughtfully and beautifully sprawl across the pages and invite you to stare for hours. Shilin is the only person possible who could make something as simple as someone softly singing Happy Birthday so epic and sultry. Speaking of which, my goddess of Yuri is this work titillating. No, there are no gratuitous scenes, but just the characters leaning over each other or touching the other's chin makes my hands shake. My only small complaint is that some early chapters show their age slightly with noticeably lower quality linework and flatter colors than the dazzling and dynamic work demonstrated towards the end. Still, even on its worst day, Amongst Us looks better than most of its peers and the entirety of its many inferiors.

Amongst Us is nearly the perfect work. It has a uniquely compelling and mirth-inducing way of displaying a young yet very unordinary couple's everyday life. Its characters, from design to personality, are instantly memorable and striking. Despite being ready to rip each other's heads off at the drop of a hat, or rather because of it, Blackbird and Veloce feel the perfect and natural couple we so rarely witness. Shilin's masterful combination of comedy, subtle romance, and incredible sensuality is astounding. This book is worth it for the outstanding and vibrant artwork alone, but its combination with excellent writing create a sonorous and majestic modern romance unlike any other. I believe that Shilin has created something genuinely special here, and I can confidently say that out of the hundreds of webcomics I have read, this one is the pinnacle of its kind and my absolute favorite.

You can purchase Amongst Us book 1: Soulmates exclusively on Shilin's online shop and read the webcomic now for free on Twitter, Webtoon and Tumblr​ @okolnir​.

Ratings: Story – 9 Characters – 10 Art – 10 LGBTQ – 8 Sexual Content – 5 Final – 10