Heartstopper (graphic novel)

Heartstopper
Date	Original comic: 2016 Kickstarter print run: 2018
Page count	1259 pages
Publisher	Self-published Print: Hachette Children's Group
Creative team
Creator	Alice Oseman
ISBN	978-1-62672-772-4

Heartstopper is a young adult LGBTQIA+ ongoing graphic novel and webcomic series written and illustrated by British author Alice Oseman. It is the subject of the 2022 television series of the same name, directed by Euros Lyn and written by Alice Oseman.^[1]

The novel follows the lives of Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring. These characters originally appeared in Solitaire, a novel also written by Alice Oseman. The graphic novel and its 2022 television series adaptation have been critically acclaimed, with the series being renewed for a second and third season shortly after its release.

Development and release[]

The characters of Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring first appeared in Oseman's novel Solitaire as supporting characters.^[2] Oseman said she "fell in love" with the characters while writing that novel and decided she needed to tell their story.^[3] Initially planning on writing a novel, Oseman eventually realised their story needed an episodic structure which was more suited to a webcomic or graphic novel format than a traditional novel.^[3][4]

Oseman started publishing Heartstopper as a webcomic on Tumblr and Tapas in September 2016. It gained a 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.^[5] In October 2018, Hachette Children's Group (HCG) acquired the rights to physical publishing of the first two volumes of the novel,^[6] and the following January acquired the rights to the third and fourth volumes of the novel.^[7] The first volume was then published on 7 February 2019, followed by the second volume on 11 July.^[7] Oseman also began publishing the webcomic of Heartstopper on Webtoon, after the physical publications of the first two volumes, in August 2019.^[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] There is also a Heartstopper Yearbook which is scheduled to release on 13 October 2022 by Hachette and Graphix.^[12]

Premise[]

Heartstopper tells the story of Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson as they meet and fall in love. It also tells the story of many side characters and their relationships.

Characters[]

• Charles "Charlie" Spring, one half of the main couple. He is already publicly out at the beginning of the graphic novel and suffers from mental health issues throughout the comics, largely as the result of a previous relationship.
• Nicholas "Nick" Nelson, the other half of the main couple. He is a member of and then becomes captain of the school's rugby team.
• Tao Xu. He is one of Charlie's best friends. He develops feelings for Elle.
• Victoria "Tori" Spring. She is Charlie's older sister.
• Elle Argent. She is Charlie's friend. She is trans.
• Tara Jones. She is an old friend of Nick's and later becomes his confidant. She is the first person to whom Nick comes out. She is in a relationship with Darcy.
• Darcy Olsson. She is Tara's girlfriend.
• Aled Last. He is Charlie's friend. He is the main character in Oseman's other novel, Radio Silence.
• Benjamin "Ben" Hope. He is a closeted student whom Charlie was in a relationship at the story's beginning.
• Harry Greene. He is a homophobic bully.
• Oliver "Olly" Spring. He is Charlie's younger brother.
• Nellie Nelson, Nick's dog.
• Henry Nelson, Nick's second dog.
• Michael Holden. He is Tori's friend.
• Sarah Nelson. She's Nick's mother.
• David Nelson. He is Nick's older brother.

Volumes[]

1. 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.
2. Volume Two covers chapter 3 of the self-published version. In Volume Two, Nick falls for Charlie and questions his sexuality. They become boyfriends.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Volume Five will be the last Volume of the graphic novel. It is expected to be released in February 2023.^[13]

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.^[14] 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.^[15] 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".^[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] 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".^[18]

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.^[19] 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".^[20] 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".^[21] 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".^[22]

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".^[23] 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".^[24] 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".^[25] 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".^[26]

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.^[27] Sarah Hughes of i included Volume Three in the newspaper's list of "Young Adult fiction: 25 of the best new books for 2020".^[28] Prudence Wade rated Volume Four 8/10 for The Independent and called it "a touching tale of teen love and accepting who you are".^[29] 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".^[30]

Television adaptation[]

A television adaptation of Heartstopper entered development after See-Saw Films acquired the rights in July 2019.^[31] Production was greenlit in January 2021 by the streaming service Netflix as an eight-episode series written by Oseman and starring Joe Locke and Kit Connor as Charlie and Nick, respectively.^[32] It premiered on 22 April 2022 to high viewership and critical acclaim and was later renewed for a second and third season.

As a tie-in to the series, the first volume of Heartstopper was re-released on 28 April 2022 with new cover art featuring Locke and Connor as Charlie and Nick recreating the original illustrated cover.^[33] The graphic novel became the top-selling children's book in the UK following the popularity of the Netflix series.^[34]

References[]

External links[]

• Official website