Sometimes I get to review things and go, cool, I got to see this before other people, and sometimes, I review things and go, damn, I wish I had known about this years ago.
Motherlove is the second kind of thing. Iron Circus Comics sent me the first print collection of the fan-favorite webcomic series, and I really wish I had been along for the ride since the beginning. Lindsay Ishihiro put out the comic from 2017 to 2024. It tells the story of Imogen and Alex, a pair of suburban moms who have a meet-cute on the first day of their kid’s school, which launches them into a friendship and burgeoning romance.
I see a lot of LGBTQ2+ stories that come across my desk, and a lot feature coming out stories or romances of people in their twenties, and it was very refreshing to see a comic about the will they/ won’t they courtship of a pair of older queers.
Lindsay Ishihiro is also a fantastic artist; her artwork feels playful and elevates everyday domestic activities with life and energy but also displays all the complicated emotions of the characters. We follow Imogen and Alex through family hardships and personal growth and the whole ending just gave me a warm feeling even though a lot of what they went through echoed with parts of my own life.
It’s a five-star choice to add to your reading list. Be sure to pick it up when it comes out on May 6th, 2025. Available now for preorder at
https://www.amazon.com/Motherlover-Lindsay-Ishihiro/dp/1638991464gr
Paper Phoenix ink 