Celebrating Aromantic Visibility Week with Ten Comics

By Webcomic Travelogue Staff

The week after Valentine’s Day is Aromantic Visibility Week, a time for those who don't experience romantic attraction to celebrate their identity. As a number of staff at the Webcomic Travelogue are on this spectrum, we wanted to highlight a few of our favorite series with prominent aro representation. From characters just coming to terms with their identities, to ones who are living and thriving in vibrant relationships, we’re excited to share these stories with you!

A Week in Warrigilla

This completed series follows two aromantic women on a road trip through rural Queensland, Australia. While the comic focuses more on supernatural horror, the main characters’ dynamic is a centerpiece to the surreal setting. It's a breath of fresh air to see an established queerplatonic relationship that doesn't need to be explained or further developed.

And Another Lovely Day

We greatly admire creator Leehamas’s depiction of complex relationships, where the feelings are platonic but the bond between characters is deep and intimate. Her latest series follows two aromantic characters, already confident in their identities, each mistakenly believing the other is in love with them. It’s a refreshing and light-hearted story that subverts classic romance tropes.

Cirque Royale

Cirque Royale follows the slice-of-life adventures of a newly appointed royal clown family. This comic features representation of a number of queer identities, including the aromantic Prince Charlie. Charlie’s realization of his aromanticism, and how he seeks out others’s perspectives, speaks to younger aro folks’ coming to terms with their identity. It’s an empathetic and validating portrayal.

Daybreak

The current arc of this romantic slice-of-life series centers around the aromantic Toma and his friend-with-benefits Duy. We like seeing how they navigate showing affection while staying within boundaries. The comic does a great job of balancing a comedic tone with emotional sincerity.

Heartless

Romantic attraction being a strength is such a common trope, it’s nice to find a series where lack of attraction is what makes the main character strong. Victorian woman Clara Adams is turned into a vampire and finds herself immune to the hypnotic abilities of other vampires due to her aromantic identity.

How Are You Supposed to Feel Like?

Not everyone finds comfort in discovering their aromanticism. Some may question what it means to be aro and in a romantic relationship, or how they fit into the broader queer community. This mini comic features a refreshingly honest conversation about aromanticism that will resonate with readers who have had similar experiences.

Lies Within

Aromanticism is often conflated with being unemotional, cold or callous. The main character of this urban fantasy comic plays into this stereotype more than most representations by acknowledging that he struggles with emotions and empathy. What elevates Lys’s depiction is that his desires and relationships are never shown to be as less. Though his emotional logic differs from others, he forms close bonds with friends and family and genuinely cares for them.

Ignition Zero

This completed contemporary fantasy series ends with characters Neve and Martin in a canonical queerplatonic relationship. Their strong relationship is built on deep platonic feelings that run strong and feel incredibly precious.

LnR

We love how this comic develops its central queerplatonic relationship. The feelings between L and R are complex; while some might view those feelings as romantic, they choose not to define their relationship on those terms. The series does a great job depicting the internal conflicts and unique feelings of its central characters.

Supernormal Step

While this completed series is an action/adventure story set in a fantasy realm, the representation of aromanticism is highly relatable. Main character Fiona realizes friend Akela is attracted to her, and has a viscerally negative reaction when the latter goes in for a kiss. Fiona struggles with guilt over her aromanticism, but eventually arrives at acceptance, and she and Akela are able to maintain their friendship.