On a Sunbeam

On a Sunbeam is a science fiction webcomic, by American cartoonist Tillie Walden. It was later released as a graphic novel. It was nominated for the 2017 Eisner Award for Best Digital Comic and the graphic novel won the 2018 Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
Plot.
Set in space, the story revolves around a crew in charge of rebuilding structures, which allows them to acknowledge the past, while Mia, the newest member, gets to know her team, and opens up about her reasoning for joining their ship - to find the love she lost.
Books.
The webcomic was adapted into a graphic novel that was released in October 2018 by First Second Books, with the UK edition published by Avery Hill Publishing.
Reception.
Reviews for the webcomic were positive. Andrew Liptak of The Verge said that the comic is fantastic and "has a ton of potential." Rowan Hisayo Buchanan of "The Atlantic" noted that the resistance to viewing profit as an "ultimate goal" goes beyond the story itself to the way it was made, with the whole comic still "online even after the book deal," meaning it is "simultaneously free and available for purchase."
When the comic was published in a graphic novel format, reviews were just as positive. Reviewers for New York Public Library and CBR praised the colorful illustration, mixing of science fiction and fantasy genres, and queer characters, especially the queer romance between Mia and Grace. Andrea Crow of Lambda Literary and Zora Gilbert of "Women Write About Comics" further called the story captivating and beautiful, praising the illustations However, Crow specifically poinying to the focus on environmentalism and engagement with genderqueer identities, while Gilbert said the comic refuses to acknowledge the existence of masculinity, while crititicizing the comic for "homogeneity in body type." Others, like Stephanie Burt of "The New Yorker", Caitlin Rosberg of The A.V. Club, Josh Kramer of "The Comics Journal", praised the comic for being an optimistic, "queer coming-of-age story," world-building, imaginative setting, and storytelling. On the other hand, Lee Mandelo of Tor.com called the comic unremarkably queer, tender, and heartwarming, while Rowan Hisayo Buchanan of "'The Atlantic" described it as a "science-fiction universe of queer love, crumbling ruins, and magical forests." At the same time, NPR praised the comic for its "interwoven timelines and stunning art" and "Publishers Weekly" called it a "sprawling, wonderfully original space jaunt" and a mix of sci-fi mixed with adventure, road trip, and school drama.