There are many ways to celebrate Pride Month, with one being to indulge in the arts. We’ve already seen plenty of positive LGBTQIA+ representation on film, television, and literature over the years. Over the years, however, one form of media has quietly made its own strong impact on the community… Comics.

Through the popularity of comics, we have seen original characters become instant classics within pop culture. It has become so popular that nearly every year we see releases of film adaptations of DC and Marvel titles clashing it out at the box office. What’s funny is Filipino komiks were miles ahead, with many of our classic heroes like Darna, Captain Barbell, and Lastikman having had their time to shine on the big screen years before Western comicbook movies dominated the scene. With how the visual medium has given readers perspectives on different lives and struggles, it’s only natural that some come across stories of the LGBTQIA+ community. Here are four local comics centering around LGBTQIA+ themes worth checking out and are worthy to be proud of.

Let’s start this list with an instant classic, the story of Zsazsa Zaturnnah. In what started as an homage to Mars Ravelo’s “Darna,” Carlo’s Zsazsa Zaturnnah follows the story of a gay hairdresser, Ada, who swallows a magic stone that turns him into the bodacious superheroine, Zsazsa Zaturnnah. It proved popular with readers, garnering it the National Book Store Award in 2003. It also received a movie adaptation, starring Zsazsa Padilla, in 2006. Now, foreign audiences have also shown excitement toward the local comic after an animated film by Rocketsheep Studios made its debut at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

Yet another superhero title that packs its own punch, “Badingger-Z” by Real S. Florido centers around Ading, a gay boy who leaves military school after being bullied. After returning home, Ading stumbles across a mysterious particle in the woods that transforms him into a super-powered being by the name of Badingger-Z. As he learns to use his powers, some of the town’s LGBTQIA+ people start disappearing, and it’s up to him to find out what’s going on. Several artists give life to the series, each one giving it a fresh look with its anime-inspired appearance. Its environment art, especially in issue two, is stunning to look at. Bekinese is also prominently used throughout the writing, shedding light on the unique language the Filipino LGBTQIA+ community has formed over the years. Three chapters have been released so far, with a fourth one coming soon. Certainly one to look out for.

In this fantasy comic series, we join Kiko and Sigur, a local aswang and an elven sorcerer, tasked with being the local barangay mercenaries. Together, they investigate local paranormal activity. There is only one issue out so far, but a pilot version is readily available for readers to dive deeper into their personalities and their chemistry as a queer couple. Printed versions of the comic are also larger than your usual zine sizes, making it easier to admire the intricate details of each panel. Fight sequences are drawn in a magnificent, gory fashion that keeps you on the edge as the action unfolds. Light humor and sweet moments between the two help bring it back to softer tones as well.

Binturita and Sunray Central make up the two-man team behind Astigmata Studios. Their most popular series, “Akin Ka!,” focuses on 14-year-old Grazia navigating life in the Muntiparlas Science High School. She finds herself in a whirlwind love story involving her best friend, Patience. One day, Patience abducts Grazia to bring her to a party where things go south. Astigmata Studios describes the series as a “coming of rage.” There’s a suspense in figuring out what might happen to our dear Grazia. Every turn of the page can go from wholesome kids having fun to a sudden, chilling suspense that leaves you fearing what comes next. Currently, there are two issues out and a third one on the way.