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Heartstopper (graphic novel)

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Heartstopper
Date
Page count1593 pages
Publisher
Creative team
CreatorAlice Oseman
ISBN978-1-4449-5138-7

Heartstopper is an ongoing LGBTQ+ young adult graphic novel and webcomic series written and illustrated by British author Alice Oseman. It follows the lives of Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring as they meet and fall in love. The series is a prequel to Oseman's 2015 novella, Nick and Charlie, although the characters originally appeared in her 2014 novel, Solitaire.

The series was later adapted into the Netflix television series of the same name also written by Oseman and starring Kit Connor and Joe Locke as Nick and Charlie, respectively.[1] The series premiered in 2022 to critical acclaim.

Since 2021, the inclusion of the Heartstopper series in libraries has been challenged on multiple occasions due to its LGBTQ content and subject matter. This has included bans from school libraries in Florida, Oregon, and Mississippi.

Premise

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Heartstopper tells the story of Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson – two British schoolboys who attend the fictional Truham Grammar School – as they meet and fall in love. The series also follows the lives and relationships of their friends, many of whom are LGBTQ.

Characters

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Main

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  • Nick Nelson, a popular Year 11 rugby player at Truham Grammar School seated next to Charlie in form class
  • Charlie Spring, a Year 10 student at Truham Grammar School who was recently outed
  • Tao Xu, Charlie's best friend and later Elle's boyfriend
  • Elle Argent, Charlie's close friend and later Tao's girlfriend who transferred to Higgs Girls School after coming out as transgender
  • Tara Jones, Nick's lesbian childhood friend who becomes his confidante when he starts to explore his sexuality. She is Darcy's girlfriend
  • Darcy Olsson, Tara's extroverted girlfriend with a complex family life
  • Aled Last, Charlie's gay demisexual close friend and one of the main characters in Oseman's novel Radio Silence
  • Sahar Zahid, the group's new friend who starts sixth form at the same time as Nick

Supporting

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  • Tori Spring, Charlie's asexual aro-spec older sister and the main character in Oseman's debut novel Solitaire
  • Ben Hope, a closeted, bisexual student whom Charlie was initially in a secret, toxic relationship with
  • Harry Greene, a homophobic bully and member of the school's rugby team
  • Sarah Nelson, Nick's supportive mother who is divorced from his father, Stéphane Fournier.
  • Oliver Spring, Charlie and Tori's younger brother
  • Jane Spring, Charlie and Tori's mother
  • Julio Spring, Charlie and Tori's father
  • David Nelson, Nick's entitled older brother who denies Nick's sexuality
  • Nellie Nelson, Nick's first dog, a border collie
  • Henry Nelson, Nick's second dog, a pug

Development and release

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The characters of Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring first appeared in supporting roles in Oseman's debut novel Solitaire (2014) which features Charlie's sister, Tori, as the protagonist.[2] Oseman "fell in love" with the couple while writing the novel and decided that she needed to tell their story.[3] She initially released the e-book novellas Nick and Charlie and This Winter featuring the characters in 2015, but eventually realised that their story needed an episodic structure that was more suited to a webcomic or graphic novel format.[3][4]

Oseman started publishing Heartstopper as a webcomic on Tumblr and Tapas in September 2016 and on Webtoon in August 2019.[5] New panels are posted three times a month and illustrated by Oseman herself. The webcomic gained a significant following, leading Oseman to launch a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the publication of a limited run of graphic novels covering the first two chapters of the series (retroactively now Volume 1) on 20 June 2018. The targeted pledge was reached within two hours.[6]

In October 2018, Hachette Children's Group (HCG) acquired the rights to physical publishing of the first two volumes of Heartstopper,[7] and by January 2019, the third and fourth volumes.[8] They were released on 7 February and 11 July 2019,[8] 6 February 2020 and 6 May 2021, respectively.[9][10] Volume 5 was later released on 7 December 2023 while a sixth and final volume has been announced.[11] Additionally, a Heartstopper-themed colouring book was published on 11 June 2020, followed by The Heartstopper Yearbook on 13 October 2022.[12]

Releases

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See also: Alice Oseman § Bibliography

Webcomic

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No. Chapter title Post count First published Last published
1 "Meet" 12 26 August 2019[a] 26 August 2019
2 "Crush" 20 27 August 2019 13 October 2019
3 "Kiss" 36 16 October 2019 27 December 2019
4 "Out" 42 30 December 2019 9 April 2020
5 "Love" 26 11 April 2020 11 November 2020
6 "Journey" 16 1 December 2020 12 June 2021
7 "Together" 40 1 January 2022 22 December 2023
8 "Forever" TBA 1 October 2024 TBA

Volumes

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No. Title Chapters included Publication date Publisher ISBN
1 Volume 1 1–2 7 February 2019 Hachette Children's Group 9781444951387
2 Volume 2 3 11 July 2019 9781444951400
3 Volume 3 4 6 February 2020 9781444952773
4 Volume 4 5–6 6 May 2021 9781444952797
5 Volume 5 7 7 December 2023 9781444957655
6 Volume 6 8; epilogue TBA TBA
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Title Publication date Publisher ISBN
The Heartstopper Colouring Book 11 June 2020 Hachette Children's Group 9781444958775
The Heartstopper Yearbook 13 October 2022 9781444968392

Reception

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Writing for The National, Gemma McLaughlin praised the novels for being able to "capture the attention" through "the small stories that make up life" rather than plot twists and heavy drama. She called the story "infinitely welcoming with characters that seem like real life friends", singling out Charlie as "extremely likeable" and praising the novels' treatment of his mental health.[13] Publishers Weekly said that the novels' "leisurely pace and focus on everyday events ... allows the characters' relationship to develop in a natural, relatable way" and stated that the art style complemented the tone of the story.[14] Imogen Russell Williams in The Times Literary Supplement called Oseman's illustration style "loose and flowing" and said of the novels that they "[engage] directly with shame, fear and anxiety, bringing them sweetly into the light".[15] The A.V. Club included the webcomic on its list of "The best comics of 2018", with Caitlin Rosberg saying that it is "best defined by its kindness both to the characters and the reader".[16] Metaphrog also included the comic on The Herald's 2019 list of "The best comics and graphic novels of the year as chosen by comic creators".[17]

Terri Schlichenmeyer of the Washington Blade described Volume One of the novels as "one really sweet book" and praised the understanding treatment of characters struggling with their sexuality. She also felt that the realism of the novel was strengthened by the inclusion of bully characters.[18] Kirkus Reviews stated that the placement of panels and their bordering in Volume One "prevent the visual graphics from going aesthetically stale" and that the hand-written lettering reinforced the story's human tone. They summarised the novel as "An adorable diary of love's gut punches".[19] Summer Hayes reviewed Volume One in Booklist and praised Oseman's use of wordless panels to portray characters' emotions, although she felt that the illustrations were inconsistent. Overall, she concludes that "the romance and realistic fiction will draw readers into this sweet story".[20] Kelley Gile reviewed Volume One in the School Library Journal, praising the dialogue, detailed facial expressions in the art, and "a font that mimics handwriting [that adds] to the adorkability factor".[21]

Alaine Martaus also reviewed Volume One in The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books in which she praised the "simple drawings" which she says "keep much of the focus on faces and phones, reinforcing a deeply interpersonal connection at the heart of the story". She described the story as being composed of "a series of charming vignettes".[22] In a further review of Volume Two, Martaus reiterated her previous comments and said that the storytelling of the second volume "moves effortlessly from tearful poignance to laugh-worthy moments to stirring romance".[23] Kirkus Reviews said of Volume Two that it retained the "distinctive style" of illustrations present in the first volume and that its transitions between panels were "creative" and "add creative flair". It praised the characters and described the story as "Incredibly lovable from start to finish".[24] Sarah Rice reviewed Volume Two in Booklist and felt that Nick and Charlie's relationship was presented in a "heartfelt, gentle way" and praised the "loose art style [that] is full of lovely details, such as embarrassment and romantic blush lines".[25]

In a review of Volume Two, Tiffany Babb of The A.V. Club praised the book's reproduction of the webcomic's art, its use of white space, and Oseman's handwritten lettering, which she says is "expressive ... in a way that feels both unique to her style and organic to the pacing of the comic". She felt that the treatment of Charlie and Nick's characters displayed "a level of understanding and care that elevates the story" and argued that the story "never devalued or ignored" the characters' other relationships with friends and family.[26] Sarah Hughes of i included Volume Three in the newspaper's list of "Young Adult fiction: 25 of the best new books for 2020".[27] Prudence Wade rated Volume Four 8/10 for The Independent and called it "a touching tale of teen love and accepting who you are".[28] Fiona Noble also included Volume Four in The Guardian's list of "The best children's books of 2021", describing it as a "joyful, tender look at first love and relationships with an inclusive cast".[29]

The webcomic series received more than 52 million views and the novel had sold more than one million copies worldwide.[30]

Restrictions and bans

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In September 2021, Turkey's Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services labeled the publication "harmful" concluding that "some elements in the books might have harmful effects on the morality of the those aged below 18."[31] Following this decision, copies of the books are only allowed to be sold inside of sealed envelopes with the label "Harmful for children" in Turkey.[32]

In 2023, the Heartstopper novels increasingly became the subject of a wave of U.S. restrictions against books featuring people of color, racism, gender identity and/or queer individuals. The books were pulled from shelves in at least two school districts, Clay County, Florida[33] and Canby, Oregon.[34]

In July 2023, a Hungarian bookstore was fined 12 million forints (then approximately US$35,900) for displaying the book without packaging. Hungary passed a law in 2021 requiring books containing any homosexual or transgender content to be sold in closed packaging only. Oseman responded to the decision, commenting, "Queer young people deserve to see themselves in literature. Queerness is not innapropriate [sic] for kids".[35]

In August 2023, the novels were temporarily pulled from shelves in the Marion County, Mississippi library system pending review by its board of supervisors following complaints of their LGBTQ themes and inclusion of boys kissing.[36]

Television adaptation

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Main article: Heartstopper (TV series)

A television adaptation of Heartstopper entered development after See-Saw Films acquired the rights in July 2019.[37] Production was greenlit in January 2021 by the streaming service Netflix as an eight-episode series written by Oseman and starring Kit Connor and Joe Locke as Nick and Charlie, respectively.[38] The first season was released on 22 April 2022, the second on 3 August 2023 and the third on 3 October 2024.[39] Since its premiere, the series has received high viewership, critical acclaim and numerous accolades.

As a tie-in to the series' premiere, the first volume of the graphic novel was re-released on 28 April 2022 with an excerpt of the show's script and new cover art featuring Connor and Locke as Nick and Charlie recreating the original illustrated cover.[40] The graphic novel became the top-selling children's book in the UK following the popularity of the Netflix series.[41]

Notes

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  1. ^ The first chapter was originally released episodically via Tumblr starting in 2016 before being uploaded to Webtoon in full.

References

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  1. ^ "Heartstopper review – possibly the loveliest show on TV". the Guardian. 22 April 2022. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  2. ^ Aroesti, Rachel (18 March 2022). "No drugs, booze, sex or swearing: will Heartstopper rewrite the young love rulebook?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b Kelleher, Patrick (22 April 2022). "Heartstopper creator wanted to show queer teens that the future is bright". PinkNews. Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  4. ^ Wong, Curtis M. (17 March 2022). "Netflix Teases 'Heartstopper' With A Delightful Gay Teen Meet Cute". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  5. ^ Alice Oseman [@AliceOseman] (25 August 2019). "OKAY GANG the response to this has been very positive so I've started uploading Heartstopper to Webtoon" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 September 2022 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ Eyre, Charlotte (21 June 2018). "Oseman smashes comic crowdfunding target in two hours". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  7. ^ Eyre, Charlotte (2 October 2018). "HCG to publish Oseman's online graphic novel". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b Eyre, Charlotte (31 January 2019). "HCG expands on Oseman's graphic novel series". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  9. ^ Alice Oseman [@aliceoseman] (6 February 2020). "Heartstopper: Volume 3 is OFFICIALLY OUT TODAY!" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ Alice Oseman [@AliceOseman] (6 May 2021). "VOL 4 IS OUT TODAY!!! A whole week earlier than planned!!!" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "How Netflix's Heartstopper Fits Into Alice Oseman's Book Universe". Den of Geek. 22 April 2022. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  12. ^ Sian, Bayley (25 November 2021). "Hodder to publish Heartstopper Yearbook with never-before-seen illustrations". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  13. ^ McLaughlin, Gemma E. (2 May 2021). "Heartwarming, real and unaffected: a tale of teenage romance". The National. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Children's Book Review: Heartstopper by Alice Oseman". Publishers Weekly. 5 May 2020. Archived from the original on 4 June 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  15. ^ Williams, Imogen Russell (22 October 2021). "Speed, rage, heat or stink: The conventions and merits of the children's graphic novel". The Times Literary Supplement. Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  16. ^ Sava, Oliver; Rosberg, Caitlin (28 November 2018). "The best comics of 2018". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  17. ^ Jamieson, Teddy (13 December 2019). "Graphic Content: The best comics and graphic novels of the year as chosen by comic creators". The Herald. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  18. ^ Schlichenmeyer, Terri (11 November 2021). "A sweet book about first love: 'Heartstopper' a poignant reminder of coming out". Washington Blade. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  19. ^ "Heartstopper: Volume 1". Kirkus Reviews. 5 February 2020. Archived from the original on 7 June 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  20. ^ Hayes, Summer (2020). "Heartstopper, v.1". Booklist. Vol. 116, no. 16. p. 37.
  21. ^ Gile, Kelley (1 February 2020). "Heartstopper". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 4 June 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  22. ^ Martaus, Alaine (2020). "Heartstopper: Volume 1; by Alice Oseman". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 73 (10): 442–443. doi:10.1353/bcc.2020.0437. ISSN 1558-6766. S2CID 219502331.
  23. ^ Martaus, Alaine (2020). "Heartstopper: Volume 2 by Alice Oseman". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 74 (3): 139–140. doi:10.1353/bcc.2020.0774. ISSN 1558-6766. S2CID 226752465.
  24. ^ "Heartstopper: Volume 2". Kirkus Reviews. 1 September 2020. Archived from the original on 4 June 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  25. ^ Rice, Sarah (2020). "Heartstopper, v.2". Booklist. Vol. 117, no. 4. p. 39.
  26. ^ Babb, Tiffany (21 October 2020). "Heartstopper Volume 2 finds joy in the quiet moments of teen romance". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  27. ^ Hughes, Sarah (13 February 2020). "25 of the best new YA books, from Diary of a Confused Feminist to Wonderland". i. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  28. ^ Wade, Prudence (12 May 2021). "5 new books to read this week". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  29. ^ Noble, Fiona; Carter, Imogen; Empire, Kitty (12 December 2021). "The best children's books of 2021". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 July 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  30. ^ Zornosa, Laura (9 May 2022). "'Heartstopper' Is a TV Love Story With the Soul of a Comic". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  31. ^ "Turkey's family ministry calls book with gay characters a 'harmful publication'". The Turkish Minute. 9 September 2021. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  32. ^ "British author's book sold in envelopes in Turkey for including gay character". duvaR.english. 26 September 2021. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  33. ^ Wratten, Marcus (27 March 2023). "Alice Oseman slams 'thriving' homophobia following Heartstopper book ban in Florida". thepinknews.com. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  34. ^ Francke, Tyler (21 March 2023). "More than 35 Books Pulled from Canby High Library for Reconsideration". canbyfirst.com. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  35. ^ Wratten, Marcus (19 July 2023). "Alice Oseman slams decision to fine Hungarian bookshop for selling Heartstopper: 'Sad and angry'". thepinknews.com. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  36. ^ Valle, Jay (10 August 2023). "'Heartstopper' books temporarily removed from Mississippi public library". NBC News. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  37. ^ White, Peter (11 July 2019). "'Top Of The Lake' Producer See-Saw Films To Adapt Alice Oseman's Graphic Novel Series 'Heartstopper' For TV". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  38. ^ Rosser, Michael (20 January 2021). "Netflix orders YA adaptation 'Heartstopper' from See-Saw, Euros Lyn". Screen. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  39. ^ "Save The Date, 'Heartstopper' Season 3 Is Coming Back With a New Sneak Peek". Collider. 13 May 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  40. ^ Yates, Jonny (21 March 2022). "Gay graphic novel Heartstopper gets cover makeover to tie in with Netflix adaptation". PinkNews. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  41. ^ O'Brien, Kiera (29 April 2022). "Children's: Heartstopper beats a path to the top". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
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