SuperCakes (2014)

Synopsis

This comic is a  series of vignettes about super-powered girlfriends, May Ai and Mo LaMarck.

From: SuperCakes

Notes on This Title

SuperCakes has been collected in print twice, both times by Yeti Press. The short comic “Pancakes” collects the first eight pages of SuperCakes, while the second collection contains all 56 pages. However, neither of these volumes are currently available.

Awards

2014 Autostraddle Comic and Sequential Art Award Shortlist — Favorite Webcomic (Single Stories/Comics)
2014 Autostraddle Comic and Sequential Art Award Shortlist — Favorite Queer Comics Couple (Tank and Shift)
2014 Autostraddle Comic and Sequential Art Award Shortlist — Favorite Overall Comic

Reviews

“These comics feature not only queer lady superheroes, but plenty of PoC, a wide variety of body types for both men and women and a multicultural family made up of adopted kids. In one comic, called “Welcome to the Family,” we see Molly visiting May’s family for the first time to have a meal. She is shy about meeting them because she doesn’t know if they will welcome her on the account that she has powers. What happens is heartbreakingly cute. As she meets May’s siblings, she realizes that she doesn’t have as much to fear as she thought. While some other comics have taken the idea of mutants as an allegory for queer people (I’m looking at you X-Men), Leyh does that while keeping the focus on actual queer people. While allegories can be a useful tool, it’s really nice to see that it’s not also used as an excuse to not need to include the actual people that you’re talking about. Like “Pancakes,” “Welcome to the Family” makes sure that you know it takes place in a world populated with people who have superpowers, but it remains a story about relationships at heart.” (Source: Autostraddle)

“SUPERCAKES does not tiptoe around homosexuality. The webcomic presents a tender look at Leyh’s “super girlfriend” leads Molly “Mo” LaMarck, AKA Shift, and May Ai, AKA Tank. Possibly the cutest superhero couple on the internet, Mo can shapeshift into a gaseous form, and May has super strength. Racial, gender, and body diversity are obvious positives of the comic.” (Source: Comicsverse)

“The series is comprised entirely of vignettes, and one of those in particular, “Welcome to the Family,” highlights the series’ best aspects. The story concerns Molly meeting May’s family for the first time and all the anxiety that goes along with that high-strung scenario. But Leyh introduces us, in a few sparing pages, to the entire family (it’s a big, extended family) and delivers a great sense of the clan’s dynamics. She informs us via body language and allusion, glances and facial expressions. The sequence conveys the characters’ interiority based on their dress and posture. Every line is geared towards exposing these characters, of splaying out their complexities and humanness in the most endearing way possible.” (Source: Paste Magazine)

Interviews

Book Riot: “Interview With Kat Leyh, Graphic Novelist of Roadkill Witch and SuperCakes“