IMHO nobody's better than Tim Fish in gay romance comics. His characters both in Strugglers and in Cavalcade of Boys are true to life, sometimes endearing, sometimes infuriating, sometimes intriguing, always interesting, he has a very personal graphic style that I found very pleasant...somewhat sylized and very expressive.
Strugglers is a coming-of-age-graphic novel set in Saint Louis (which is beautifully described), about the lives of four people: still closeted, upwardly mobile Tighe, still more ambitious indie rocker Tracey, her tranquil colleague Alyson/Midge and the adorable student Mike Hawkswell. Really, one could cru for Tighe's cruel treatment of Mike. Some episodes are memorable, like Toghe's trolley-dream, Tracey and Alyson's guitar contest, the final confrontation between Tighe and Mike, and the final panel when Tighe leave Saint Louis recalling the Alyson's plea, "Meet me in Saint Louie" So soberly melancholic!
"Cavalcade of Boys" is a great Gay Romance sequence, featuring an indecisive Tighe (who the Author mercifully puts in quarantine for many episodes-I'm not a fan of Tighe, if there's any doubt), my preferred character, the emotive and impulssive but good at heart Warren, the whorish Tim, gentle Eric, not-so-sugary daddy Gordon, and many others. The tone is bittersweet, sometimes sad, sometimes humorous, sometimes bizarre (see the story of warren's stalker). An accomplished work of art.
A must read!