Webcomic Weekly: Richard Mercado’s On A Date…

Webcomic Weekly, Comicon’s increasingly misnamed guide to comics online – I get the Webcomic bit right, I’m not too hot on the weekly bit. This time, Richard Mercado‘s No Boyfriends Since Birth…

Okay, it’s not technically Richard’s date, it’s his character Mark’s first date, but the principle’s the same here. What’s it like being a gay man who hasn’t been on a date in all of his 27 years?

Well, the simple answer is, at least in Mercado’s comic, that it’s a mix of absolutely delightful fumbling and bumbling at the dinner table and hilarious embarrassment.

It might help that Mark’s date, Paulo, hasn’t had a date with a guy before either, but Mark doesn’t know that, which means that he’s a sweaty mass of insecurity, overthinking, and anxiety…

As you can no doubt see, it’s just the absolute epitome of cuteness, beautifully drawn, and mixing up styles so well to really highlight the difficulties of the situation Mark finds himself in.

And then there’s the absolutely killer hilarity that you’ll find all the way through it, in both the situation and Mercado’s rather magnificent commentary, perhaps never better than this…

Yes, “Mark is slowly forgetting how to have a simple conversation” had me spluttering out the coffee with laughter. It’s by far the only time that happened with this comic either.

Anyway, the date might be embarrassing and tortuous enough – but given how Marks’ been already, can you even begin to imagine what Mark’s going to be like when Paulo asks him if he’d like to come up to his flat?

Well, you don’t have to imagine it… because Mercado shows you, and shows you so well…

What happens next? Well, that’s for you to find out – and you’re absolutely going to love it. Mecardo’s comic – hardly a mini-comic at 30 pages – is an absolute delight, full of gentle humour, out-and-out laughs, perfectly observed characters, and just one that will put a smile on your face.

Richard Mercado‘s No Boyfriend’s Since Birth is 30 pages of absolutely lovely comics that you can (and should) read on Twitter.

Mercado’s currently working on Coming Out Perfect for Scholastix, due out in 2025. His previous work includes Nang Mainlove Ako Sa Isang Sakristan (That Time I Fell In Love With An Altar Boy) with Silaw Publishing in Mercado’s native Philippines – he’s currently based in the USA.

You can see more of his work at his portfolio site. And if what you’ve seen above hasn’t convinced you, here’s the first few pages of No Boyfriend Since Birth…