ENCORE!

Senior year should feel like a victory lap—but for Clay, it’s about to get complicated.

Clay Noguchi has great friends and confidence in his gender identity, and he’s even ready to try using the boys’ bathroom. But his hopes for a smooth school year unravel when his former best friend, Aron Santos—now a swaggering jock—lands in his theater class. Worse, they’re paired for an improv project. Aron slips easily back into their old dynamic, acting as if the years (and the ghosting) never happened, but Clay still feels stung by the betrayal. As rehearsals blur into real life, complicated feelings resurface. Clay starts choosing Aron over his friends, alienating those who care about him most. Meanwhile, Aron wrestles with questions about his own sexuality. Together, the two must decide whether they can rebuild what was broken, and whether they’re brave enough to be seen for who they truly are. Based on a WEBTOON, Burks’ debut is a slow-burn graphic rom-com that features inviting digital linework and expressive, character-focused cartooning. The warm, muted palette and clean backgrounds keep the focus on gestures and facial expressions, which carry most of the narrative weight. The story radiates warmth and theater-kid friendship, with Clay’s trans identity presented in a refreshingly matter-of-fact way. Most major characters read queer and Asian; Aron is cued Filipino American, and Clay presents Japanese American.

Heartfelt, hopeful, and full of queer coming-of-age charm.