Are you looking for hockey, queer romance, and baked goods? Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu follows Eric “Bitty” Bittle as he joins the hockey team at Samwell University in Massachusetts, and the ongoing comic follows his journey through his first freshman semester and into his senior year. Bitty’s vlog offers a window into his perspective as joins the team and gets better acquainted with his teammates and with himself.
While the majority of the narrative takes place between games, following the personal interactions and growth of Bitty and his teammates, the story never gets too far from the ice. In addition to occasional chapters that take place during games, “Hockey Shit” interstitials narrated by team members Ransom & Holster offer readers a glossary of important hockey-related terms (like “Hockey Butt” or “Flow,” the mane of hair beneath a hockey bro’s helmet).
Another important part of the story is Bitty coming out of the closet. While he didn’t feel comfortable coming out during his high school years in a small town in Georgia, he admits during a vlog that one of the reasons he chose Samwell University was its high ranking at as a LGBTQ+ tolerant campus. As the story skates on, Bitty becomes involved in a relationship, and the queer romance is an ongoing element of the narrative.
Check, Please! has been published in printed form, but the webcomic continues to be updated (and free). You can follow creator Ukazu on her tumblr or twitter for updates on her work, and donate to her patreon here.
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