Minneapolis Comic Artist’s newest release ‘Leo Rising: Queer Spaces, Sexuality, and Fame’ Makes a Splash in Queer Spaces

Finding one’s way in the world is a lifelong journey and generally, pardon the pun, not a straight one. With all of the intersections and facets of a person’s identity, it might seem overwhelming to find a space that feels just right in this day in age, especially with lots of media working to make it seem like everyone should fit perfectly into a neat little box. Archie Bongiovanni’s stunning new graphic novel, “Leo Rising: Queer Spaces, Sexuality, and Fame,” is here to challenge that stereotype with a fresh and exciting voice.

Bongiovanni is a Minneapolis-based comic artist with a hearty body of work behind them. As a comic artist, their work is “gay and good,” and consists of titles like: “A Quick and Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns,” “History Comics: The Stonewall Riots,” “Teleportation and Other Luxuries” and “Mimosa,” among the most notable. And now, their newest graphic novel, “Leo Rising: Queer Spaces, Sexuality, and Fame,” is shaking up the queer graphic novel scene again!

“In ‘Leo Rising,’ I wanted to write a character whose chosen ‘safe space’ isn’t a queer space, and when they start exploring it, feels really awkward and out of place,” Bongiovanni says. “I think that feeling is really common for folks, but isn’t seen much in the media. I also wanted to examine online queer spaces, as a lot of folks find refuge there, but [they] can also be a catch-22.”

“Leo Rising” tells the story of Laura, a part-time owl researcher, lesbian influencer, and self-proclaimed “celesbian” living in Alaska, who has it all figured out. That is, until an old friend introduces her to queer parties and sex apps she’s never experienced before, and she realizes … maybe she doesn’t know exactly who she is yet. A journey of self-discovery ensues, both of Laura’s gender and sexuality, as her new secret internet identity creates some real-world consequences.

“‘Leo Rising’ was a challenge to write, as I felt like I was asking more from my readers than previous books to really examine its themes and characters,” Bongiovanni says. “I wanted to write a sort of coming out book where the character didn’t really come out, where there wasn’t a neat conclusion, and I wanted something that featured yearning but didn’t feature romance.”

“Leo Rising” was an extremely vulnerable project for Bongiovanni for many reasons, including that it takes place in a fictionalized version of their hometown in Alaska, which isn’t something they had ever planned to explore in their art.

“There was a lot of fear when I started plotting this graphic novel. However, if it feels scary, it’s probably worth exploring, so I dived into it and sometimes struggled through it,” Bongiovanni says. “It took over four years to create, from conception to publication. I had to remind myself many times that vulnerability is literally the point of what I do.”

Even though they are from Alaska, Bongiovanni has called Minneapolis home for almost 17 years. They first came to Minneapolis to study art, but say they “quickly fell in love with the city.”

“Minneapolis and the queer community here [have] influenced how I want my art to depict being queer,” Bongiovanni explains. “I want to mirror the joy, messiness, complexity and celebration that I see locally and in my own circles … I want my comics to reflect my own life and experiences, but in a fictionalized way with a lot of humor and heart.”

Bongiovanni works mostly from their apartment studio in Minneapolis but can occasionally be found tucked away in a corner with a delicious coffee at Code Blu Coffee.

“I hope my readers enjoy the book, first and foremost!” Bongiovanni says. “I also want the book to feel like permission: permission to be contradictory, to outgrow previous versions of yourself, to get out of your comfort zone, as well as permission to not have it all figured out.”

If you’re interested in checking out Archie Bongiovanni’s new graphic novel, “Leo Rising: Queer Spaces, Sexuality, and Fame,” it is now available online at abramsbooks.com. And check out their other projects, art and merch on their website, archiebongiovanni.com.

Don’t worry about having everything figured out just yet. Part of life is enjoying the ride as you go. And it doesn’t hurt to have a good graphic novel to read while you do it!