# Manga & Graphic Novels You Need to Read | Coming out Perfect by Richard Mercado

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873/manga-graphic-novels-you-need-to-read-coming-out-perfect-by-richard-mercado
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873/manga-graphic-novels-you-need-to-read-coming-out-perfect-by-richard-mercado.md
Podcast: [What to Read Next — Book Recommendations for Romance, Thrillers & Escape Reads](https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873)
Published: 2026-07-11T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: http://www.whattoreadnextblog.com
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/ce7d93b2-401b-42b9-b963-271328d30733.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1420

## Resource

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Ever wondered what a graphic novelist reads for fun? This week we're stepping outside our usual romance and mystery lanes to talk graphic novels and manga with debut author Richard Mercado. Richard Mercado joins the podcast to talk about his debut YA graphic novel Coming Out Perfect (pitched as Heartstopper meets Mean Girls), his journey from indie zine-maker in the Philippines to Scholastic Graphix author, and his process for plotting a graphic novel from script to thumbnails to final art. Then he shares five graphic novel and manga recommendations — perfect for readers looking to branch into visual storytelling, or longtime manga fans looking for their next read. 📚 Books Mentioned Coming Out Perfect by Richard Mercado — Buy on Amazon | YA Graphic Novel / LGBTQ Contemporary Roaming by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki — Buy on Amazon | Graphic Novel / Contemporary Honey and Clover by Chica Umino — Buy on Amazon | Manga / Josei / Coming-of-Age Please Be My Star by Victoria Grace Elliot — Buy on Amazon | YA Graphic Novel / Contemporary Romance Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata — Buy on Amazon | Literary Fiction | Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte — Buy on Amazon | Literary Fiction / Short Stories ⏱️ Timestamps [00:00] Welcome & intro to Richard Mercado [00:00] Richard introduces himself, his debut graphic novel Coming Out Perfect [01:00] Filipino and Puerto Rican cultural parallels; parental acceptance themes [01:30] Elevator pitch for Coming Out Perfect [04:00] Richard's path from indie zine cartoonist in the Philippines to Scholastic Graphix [07:00] How Richard builds a graphic novel — outline, script, thumbnails, art [11:00] Book recommendations begin [11:30]…

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