The tender literary universe of
Heartstopper
,
translated into Spanish by Crossbooks
(Grupo Planeta)
,
never ceases to captivate.
This story originated in an internet comic and centered on the romance between two teenage boys has reached such unexpected environments as politics.
He recently drew praise from UK Labor MP Luke Pollard in a sober parliamentary debate on conversion therapy for transgender people.
“In the world that Alice Oseman has written about, diversity is celebrated and not excluded.
People come together in a big hug and not with sticks.
That is what we should try to achieve in this legislature”, highlighted the politician.
Such is the influence of the work that, also through an adaptation on Netflix, it has gained extraordinary acceptance for its way of portraying LGTBI relationships.
More information
'Heartstopper': everyone deserves role models
But what does the figure behind it think of this phenomenon?
Oseman (Kent, United Kingdom, 27 years old), a writer and cartoonist, believes she knows how to identify some of the keys that have taken her work to the top.
“With
Heartstopper
she let the readers enjoy the moments of happiness without the need to add a lot of drama and angst.
There are many situations that are pure joy, ”explains the author by video call.
However, she also insists on the need for diversity in terms of the tone of the stories that touch the
queer world.
[umbrella term for non-normative sexual orientations and gender identities].
“There are stories that focus a lot on serious issues and are not as enjoyable to read.
There will always be those who prefer one style over the other,” she reasons.
Although the Netflix series, which has already been greenlit for two more seasons, has largely contributed to the dissemination of Oseman's story, the truth is that it already had a considerable following long before its premiere on the small screen. .
Proof of this is its seamless transition from web-based comic to publisher-published graphic novel.
At the end of June 2018, Oseman decided to launch a campaign on the Kickstarter platform to raise funds and thus be able to finance the physical release of his story.
The goal was achieved in just two hours, and three months later, Hachette Children's Group acquired the publishing rights for the first two volumes.
As of today there are four volumes of the story in circulation, in addition to a coloring book and another of curiosities,
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Alice Oseman (@aliceoseman)
For Oseman, the quick response of his readers to the idea of making a physical edition possible marked a before and after regarding his perception of the scope of
Heartstopper .
.
“When I got so much unexpected support on Kickstarter I knew I had to work harder.
That was a lot of pressure, but I wouldn't have traded it for anything," says the writer.
As with other young authors who have taken their first steps on the Internet, Oseman takes great care of her interaction with her community of readers.
“Once in a while, if I'm not sure a certain cartoon is reflecting what I want, I'll just ask my followers what they think.
If they don't understand it, I have the opportunity to tweak it before it gets published in a book,” she explains.
She does not hide her general satisfaction with her public either: “Very rarely do I come across something that I dislike”.
Another aspect of Heartstopper
to highlight
is its inspiration, which doesn't exactly come from Western comics.
It is in Japanese manga, whose popularity has not stopped growing in recent decades, where Oseman found many references to the style of his work.
Specifically, it was the genre of romance stories focused on a young female audience, called
shojo .
, the one that caught his attention the most.
“When I was in school I read a lot about it, as there was a lot in our library.
In the manga there is a lot of emphasis on the characters' expressions, gestures, body language, and feelings,” he highlights.
Indeed, the Japanese influence is easily recognizable in Oseman's stroke, which he admits to enjoying more than the process of writing the script.
"In this part I can allow myself to be distracted and enjoy myself," he acknowledges.
The protagonists of 'Heartstopper', Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson, in the comic.Alice Oseman (Crossbooks)
That enjoyment is on pause for now.
On May 26, 2022, the author added a note to
Heartstopper
chapter 208 in which she announced that she would be taking a break for a few months.
“I have been suffering from stress for a long time and it has had an impact on my physical and mental health, so I cannot continue with the comic in the best conditions.
I apologize to anyone who is disappointed, but if I continue I will not be able to create something that makes me happy and that I am proud of, “explained Oseman.
In the previous episode, one of the protagonists of the play, Charlie, went to therapy and received advice from a professional on how to deal with his insecurities.
Fortunately for the author, her audience has managed to replicate towards her the same tolerance and positivity shown in
Heartstopper
in the difficult situations of others.
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