Adeline Kon, author of ShortBox Comics 2023’s My Father Was a Good Man, brings us their debut graphic novel Just Between Us, the figure skating toxic yuri rivalry comic you’ve been waiting for. That is my very beautiful sentence full of buzzwords for SEO. Now let me tell you what this book is really about.
I got to read an early access copy of Just Between Us in preparation for our talk at Powell’s. If you’re in the Portland area and a dyke or a fan of comics/manga or a fan of ice skating, or all three (hello Eli), show up to Powell’s in downtown at 7 on Sunday, March 1. You can hear me and Kon talk about this stunner of a debut book and what it really feels like to be at the top of your game and still so full of doubt and jealousy.
Just Between Us follows Lydia Chen, the greatest figure skater of all time, who has to share the practice rink with Elaine Yee, a dynamic skater hot on Lydia’s tail. Elaine’s graceful movements convey a love of the game that Lydia cannot seem to match. Like celestial bodies in orbit, they are drawn in by the other’s skill and talent. Lydia and Elaine find something missing from their own skate within their competition.
Last week, I wrote a blog post about my art career and losing the passion (and finding it again). In that post, I attributed my rediscovery of joy to spending time with my friends for a weekend, but also during that weekend, I finished reading Just Between Us. I have to give some credit to Kon and JBU, because the struggles the main characters face hit hard. Grappling between doing something because you’re just good at it and making money versus true love and passion—YEEOUCH! FELT THAT!
Kon has a wonderful way of directing this conversation through these characters while keeping their voices clear and true. I found everyone very relatable, with distinct thoughts and emotions. There’s a scene with Lydia’s mom that is a real tear jerker that had me choked up at the breakfast table.
And, of course, the art is just stunning. Kon really captured the complexity of ice skating, perfectly rendering these delicate yet high speed movements on the page. I found myself thinking, “my god, this motion is superhuman” the same way I do when I watch the actual Olympics. The figures in motion combined with the comedic facial expression breaks sprinkled throughout the book were really endearing to me. I’m taking notes!
You do not have to be a fan of ice skating or sports in general to resonate with the story and the characters. If you pursue any kind of hobby or career and have a competitive bite, a drive pushing you forward to get better at your craft, you’ll understand exactly what Elaine and Lydia are feeling in JBU.
Just Between Us comes out February 24, 2026, so preorder your copy, give it a read, and then come see me and Adeline Kon talk about yuri and comics on March 1 at Powell’s!