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Heartstopper (graphic novel)

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Heartstopper
Date
Page count400 pages
Publisher
Creative team
CreatorAlice Oseman
ISBN978-1-62672-772-4

Heartstopper is a young adult LGBTQ+ ongoing graphic novel and webcomic series written and illustrated by British author Alice Oseman.[3][4] It is the subject of the 2022 television series of the same name, directed by Euros Lyn.[5]

Development and release

Oseman started publishing Heartstopper as a webcomic on Tumblr and Tapas in September 2016. It gained significant following, and Oseman decided to self-publish a limited run of physical copies of the first two chapters. On 20 June 2018, she launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the publishing, and within two hours reached the targeted pledge.[6] In October 2018, Hachette Children's Group (HCG) acquired the rights to physical publishing of the first two volumes of the novel.[7] In January 2019, HCG further acquired the rights to the third and fourth volumes of the novel.[8] The first volume was then published on 7 February 2019, followed by the second volume on 11 July.[8] The third and fourth volumes were released on 6 February 2020 and 6 May 2021, respectively.[9][10] The fifth and final volume is planned to release on 2 February 2023.[11]

Premise

Heartstopper tells the story of Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson as they meet and fall in love.

Characters

  • Charles "Charlie" Spring
  • Nicholas "Nick" Nelson
  • Tao Xu
  • Victoria "Tori" Spring
  • Elle Argent
  • Tara Jones
  • Darcy Olsson
  • Aled Last
  • Benjamin "Ben" Hope
  • Harry Greene
  • Oliver "Ollie" Spring
  • Nellie Nelson
  • Michael Holden

Volumes

Volume One

Volume One covers chapters 1 and 2 of the self-published version. In it, Charlie and Nick meet for the first time and eventually become friends.

Volume Two

Volume Two covers chapter 3 of the self-published version. In Volume Two, Nick begins to fall for Charlie and questions his sexuality.

Volume Three

Volume Three covers chapter 4 of the self-published version. In Volume Three, Nick and Charlie, now a couple, must navigate their first relationship challenges and personal problems as well as a school trip to Paris.

Volume Four

Volume Four covers chapter 5 and 6 of the self-published version. In Volume Four, Nick prepares to come out to his father while Charlie battles an eating disorder.

Volume Five

Volume Five will be the last Volume of the graphic novel. It is expected to be released in February 2023.[12]

Adaptation

Main article: Heartstopper (TV series)

An adaptation was first developed when See-Saw Films acquired the rights in July 2019.[13] In January 2021, the production was greenlit by Netflix as an eight-episode series.[14] It premiered on 22 April 2022.

Reception

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.[15] 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.[16] 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".[17]

Kirkus Reviews stated that the placement of panels and their bordering in Volume One of the novels "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".[18] 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".[19] 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".[20] 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".[21] 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".[22]

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 hand-written 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.[23] Prudence Wade rated Volume Four 8/10 for The Independent and called it "a touching tale of teen love and accepting who you are".[24] 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".[25]

References

  1. ^ Oseman, Alice. "The History". Alice Oseman. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  2. ^ Eyre, Charlotte (31 January 2019). "HCG expands on Oseman's graphic novel series". The Bookseller. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Heartstopper". Alice Oseman. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Heartstopper". www.webtoons.com. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Heartstopper review – possibly the loveliest show on TV". the Guardian. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  6. ^ Eyre, Charlotte (21 June 2018). "Oseman smashes comic crowdfunding target in two hours". The Bookseller. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  7. ^ Eyre, Charlotte (2 October 2018). "HCG to publish Oseman’s online graphic novel". The Bookseller. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b Eyre, Charlotte (31 January 2019). "HCG expands on Oseman’s graphic novel series". The Bookseller. 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. ^ Bayley, Sian (25 November 2021). "Hodder to publish Heartstopper Yearbook with never-before-seen illustrations". The Bookseller. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  12. ^ "How Netflix's Heartstopper Fits Into Alice Oseman's Book Universe". Den of Geek. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  13. ^ 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. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  14. ^ Rosser, Michael (20 January 2021). "Netflix orders YA adaptation 'Heartstopper' from See-Saw, Euros Lyn". Screen. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  15. ^ McLaughlin, Gemma E. (2 May 2021). "Heartwarming, real and unaffected: a tale of teenage romance". The National. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  16. ^ "Children's Book Review: Heartstopper by Alice Oseman". Pubishers Weekly. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  17. ^ Sava, Oliver; Rosberg, Caitlin (28 November 2018). "The best comics of 2018". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  18. ^ "Heartstopper: Volume 1". Kirkus Reviews. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  19. ^ Gile, Kelley (1 February 2020). "Heartstopper". School Library Journal. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ "Heartstopper: Volume 2". Kirkus Reviews. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  23. ^ Babb, Tiffany (21 October 2020). "Heartstopper Volume 2 finds joy in the quiet moments of teen romance". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  24. ^ Wade, Prudence (12 May 2021). "5 new books to read this week". The Independent. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  25. ^ Noble, Fiona; Carter, Imogen; Empire, Kitty (12 December 2021). "The best children's books of 2021". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
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