#boys weekend

[queerliblib]

THE MADNESS BEGINS. Sixteen gay-as-hell books compete for the ultimate prize: bragging rights. 

Last year's Queer Books March Madness was dominated by underdog @joydemorra's Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites. Will another sleeper contender snag the (extremely metaphorical) trophy, or will a heavy hitter like Gideon the Ninth claim the title? YOU DECIDE. 

Voting for Round 1 is up in our Insta stories from 10 AM 3/17 to 10 AM 3/18 (EST). Votes in the comments ✨will not count!✨

All the nominations are from our bracket are available for free through QLL’s Libby collection. Check 'em out and get reading: https://tinyurl.com/QLL-MM24

Want to support our mission of by connecting LGBTQ+ people with literature, information, and resources that celebrate our community? Donate at the link in our bio!

<3 HAPPY MADNESS. 🏀📚☄️

[transbookoftheday]

Boys Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky

From the award-winning cartoonist and editor at The Nib, a hilarious trans-"final girl" horror graphic novel about a bachelor party gone very, very wrong.

Newly-out trans artist’s assistant Sammie is invited to an old friend’s bachelor weekend in El Campo, a hedonistic wonderland of a city floating in the Atlantic Ocean's international waters—think Las Vegas with even fewer rules. Though they have not identified as a man for over a year, Sammie’s college buddies haven't quite gotten the message—as evidenced by their formerly closest friend Adam asking them to be his “best man.”

Arriving at the swanky hotel, Sammie immediately questions their decision to come. Bad enough that they have to suffer through a torrent of passive-aggressive comments from the groom's pals—all met with zero pushback from supposed "nice guy" Adam. But also, they seem to be the only one who's noticed the mysterious cult that's also staying at the hotel, and is ritually dismembering guests and demanding fealty to their bloodthirsty god.

Part satire, part horror, Boys Weekend explores what it’s like to exist as a transfemme person in a man’s world, the difficulty of maintaining friendships through transition, and the more cult-like effects of masculinity, “hustle” culture, and capitalism—all through the vibrant lens of a surreal, scary, and immensely imaginative romp.

[smokefalls]

If a world doesn’t hold anything for you? You can leave it behind. We can expect better for ourselves.

Mattie Lubchansky, Boys Weekend

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

Boys Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky

goodreads

Newly-out trans artist’s assistant Sammie is invited to an old friend’s bachelor weekend in El Campo, a hedonistic wonderland of a city floating in the Atlantic Ocean's international waters—think Las Vegas with even fewer rules. Though they have not identified as a man for over a year, Sammie’s college buddies haven't quite gotten the message—as evidenced by their formerly closest friend Adam asking them to be his “best man.”

Arriving at the swanky hotel, Sammie immediately questions their decision to come. Bad enough that they have to suffer through a torrent of passive-aggressive comments from the groom's pals—all met with zero pushback from supposed "nice guy" Adam. But also, they seem to be the only one who's noticed the mysterious cult that's also staying at the hotel, and is ritually dismembering guests and demanding fealty to their bloodthirsty god.

Mod opinion: I hadn't heard of this book before, but the description sounds so interesting!

[qbdatabase]

Boys Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky Newly-out trans artist Sammie is invited to an old friend’s bachelor weekend in El Campo, a hedonistic wonderland of a city floating in the Atlantic Ocean's international waters—think Las Vegas with even fewer rules. Though they have not identified as a man for over a year, Sammie’s college buddies haven't quite gotten the message ... View the full summary and rep info on wordpress or check it out for free from the Queer Liberation Library!

[smashpages]

Out this week: Boys Weekend (Pantheon Books, $28):

The Nib‘s Mattie Lubchansky wrote and drew this “trans final girl story about a bachelor party gone very, very wrong,” as a trans woman must not only deal with being asked to be the “best man” at a friend’s wedding, but also a bloodthirsy cult that’s staying in the same hotel as the groom’s party. 

See what else is arriving at your local comic shop this week.

[graphicpolicy]

Around the Tubes

Some comic news and reviews from around the web in our morning roundup #comics #comicbooks

It’s a new week and we have lots coming at you! We’re of course excited about Free Comic Book Day this coming weekend! While you wait for that, here’s some comic news and reviews from around the web to start the week. The Beat – More details on IDW layoffs and reorganization emerge – More details on the massive bomb drop. Kotaku – Wait, Kurt Busiek & Mike Mignola Made A Final Fantasy Comic??!!…

[libraryleopard]

boys weekend by mattie lubchansky made me surprisingly emotional for a kind of ridiculous horror satire about a pyramid scheme cult

[too-many-humans]

[rat-poison-condiment]

Is this too........yuri...

[kenchann]

king of snork mimimimimi-ing

[luxris]

brothers 🧡💙

[smokefalls]

Title: Boys Weekend Author: Mattie Lubchansky Publication Year: 2023 Publisher: Pantheon Books Genre: fiction, horror, queer lit, graphic novel

Lubchansky nailed what it’s like to be in cis spaces as a trans person, particularly for those who don’t fall on the gender binary and/or are transitioning. Boys Weekend is such a poignant reflection on how difficult it can be to be your true self today, and what it’s like to return to a space with people from your past—who you love(d)—and knew you as a particular person. Lubchansky does a wonderful job exploring what it means to hold onto or let go of that past and its people, and the emotions that come with that decision.

In addition to this focus on trans identity and being in/finding community, Lubchansky provides biting commentary about capitalism and masculinity in the form of a bachelor’s party and a cult gathering taking place in the more-lawless-and-hedonistic-than-Vegas hotel, El Campo. Admittedly, I’m still trying to make sense of this part of the graphic novel, specifically the gore and eldritch horrors that make an appearance and their underlying meaning. (It made sense but also not, ahaha.) Everything was humorously over-the-top to really drive home the point that this is all absurd.

Overall, this graphic novel was surprisingly moving. As bleak as things got—especially with the constant misgendering and deadnaming—Lubchansky makes clear that there’s still something for us on the horizon. As the protagonist, Sammie, wonderfully states, “If a world doesn’t hold anything for you? You can leave it behind. We can expect better for ourselves.”

Note: I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a finished copy.

Content Warning: transphobia, deadnaming, gore

[quess-art]

Made before the hard parts of Book 7 comes out and Malleus kicks my f2p ass