181

Glen Hanson (1965- ) and Allan Neuwirth (1956- )

Chelsea Boys #5, I'm Soiree, Baby! 1998.

Pen and ink with some graphite on paper, title collaged.
Signed and dated "©1998 Hanson and Neuwirth" along right margin. Initialed "G" in final panel.

Publication:
The fifth strip of the popular syndicated comic that followed the adventures of three gay roommates in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood in the late 1990s-mid 2000s. Chelsea Boys was carried first by Next magazine, and then syndicated throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, and South Africa. Its acclaim led to two book anthologies (Chelsea Boys. Alyson Books, 2003; Chelsea Boys Steppin' Out. Bruno Gmunder, 2006) and an exclusive art show (Chelsea Boys: Hung) at the Leslie-Lohman Museum in October 2003.
14 x 14 1/2 in. (35.6 x 36.8 cm.)

  • Provenance:
    Private collection, New York.

    Further information:
    Created by Hanson and Neuwirth in the late 1990s, Chelsea Boys emerged during a period when New York City's Chelsea neighborhood functioned as the epicenter of gay social life. These early strips document the humor and rhythms of that moment, as well as the gradual formation of a narrative world rooted in chosen family and shared domestic space. They trace the strip's early evolution as it found its voice — from character introduction, to ensemble formation, to deeper storytelling.

    Issue #5 – I'm Soiree, Baby!
    This early strip marks a foundational moment in the nine-year run of the syndicated LGBTQ comic strip, introducing the flamboyant performance-art diva Soirée to his future roommates, Nathan and Sky, and to the strip's growing readership. It defines the ensemble dynamic and crystallizes the domestic setting that would become central to the series. While played for humor, this episode reflects a larger truth of late-1990s Chelsea life: chosen family, shared apartments, and the fragile negotiations of queer domesticity, giving Chelsea Boys an emotional and structural core early in its run.
  • Condition:
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February 5, 2026 12:00 PM EST
New York, NY, US

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