Ngozi Ukazu might just be the most successful independent comic book creator you’ve never heard of. The daughter of Nigerian immigrants, born and raised in Houston Texas, Ukazu found success with her popular webcomic turned award-winning graphic novel Check Please!(First Second Books). Not only has the series won Reuben and William Morris Awards, it’s been translated into three languages, and the Year Two and Year Three volumes both raised over $300K respectively on Kickstarter.

Check Please! follows Eric Richard ‘Bitty’ Bittle, a gay figure skater, vlogger and master baker from Georgia who joins a northern college hockey team his freshman year. The story follows Bitty, the closeted team captain Jack that he falls for, and the rest of the team year by year. The series features a multiethnic cast, tackles issues like depression and homophobia and combines them with unrequited love and stress baking… all before midterms. READ MORE