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Webcomic / Heartstopper

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Heartstopper is a webcomic and published graphic novel by English artist and novelist Alice Oseman, primarily centered around the love story of Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson, two characters who first appeared in her first novel, Solitaire. Moreover, Heartstopper makes small references to two of her other novels, Radio Silence and I was born for this, because they are all set in the same universe.

Oseman also has a Patreon up specifically to help keep the comic running, in addition to any tips readers may be willing to give in the Tapas app through which the comic is primarily published. Additionally, an official merchandise site can be found here.

The story is told primarily from Charlie's perspective, though occasionally switching to that of Nick whenever doing so provides greater clarity, often the case when the two are at home or when Nick is telling his side of a tale. It encompasses all the small bits of Nick and Charlie's life and love story through something larger which can speak to everyone.

Although the story does feature some original characters, most are derived from Solitaire, here depicted as teenagers and then young adults attending an English grammar school. Their story is also told in two other novellas This winter and Nick and Charlie.


We begin with a brief sequence depicting Charlie with his abrasive hookup fling, Ben Hope. After a bell, the two part and we see Charlie's new Form Group notice from over his shoulder. Upon arriving in the classroom, he is assigned a seat next to Nick Nelson, leading them to meet regularly and Charlie to fall in love with him. The two hit it off, very well. Many wholesome bonding experiences later, the two kiss and admit their feelings for one another.

There are also occasional side stories sprinkled sporadically throughout the part index of the comic, featuring either an alternate universe, a future event beyond the scope of the comic, or past events not shown when they occurred, usually about side characters.

In January 2021, it was announced that Netflix would be adapting Heartstopper into a live-action miniseries. The show, written by Oseman and directed by Euros Lyn, premiered April 22, 2022.


This work provides examples of...

  • Accidental Hand-Hold: Used to illustrate the Unresolved Sexual Tension between Nick and Charlie during the first two chapters. Charlie was secretly happy, blushing and giggling, whereas Nick was confused and hesitant. Eventually, they began to hold hands and even Intertwined Fingers when they kissed and since they eventually confessed they had feelings for each other.
  • Alternate Universe: Several installments show Nick and Charlie falling for each other in different realities, including a Become Human AU with detective Charlie and android Nick, a 101 Dalmations-inspired story where Nellie gets them together, a flower shop setting with florist Nick/customer Charlie, and a fantasy comic with merman Nick and human Charlie.
  • Beach Episode: Set during the summer holidays, Chapter 5 shows the Paris squad meeting at the beach.
  • Bested at Bowling: Even though she was the only girl at Charlie's birthday party, Elle won the second game against Nick and beat everyone else at the bowling alley.
  • Big Damn Kiss: After thwarting Harry's attempts to make Charlie jealous, Nick isolated himself with the latter hand in hand. After Nick assured Charlie that he no longer felt anything for Tara, Charlie approached Nick and asked him if he would be ready to kiss a boy or at least him. They ended up kissing several times at Harry's place before being interrupted and not being able to explain their feelings.
  • Bittersweet Ending: The Novella Nick and Charlie. While it ends well for the titular couple, there is the revelation that Tao and Elle broke up. The revised edition changes this, having Tao and Elle get back together.
  • Bowling for Ratings: Charlie's 15th birthday party is at the bowling alley.
  • Cardiovascular Love: Hearts appear above characters’ heads in scenes where they feel romantic feelings.
  • Cast Full of Gay: Six out of the eight main characters are either gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans teenagers, all are friends who get on well and came together to support one another.
  • Class Trip: Chapter 4 revolves around the trip of grades 10 and 11 to Paris.
  • Comic-Book Time: The author generally considers her work to be set in "the present" when then work is being written, but Webcomic Time has kicked in where real-world time has gone faster than in-universe time. As a result, Oseman has embraced the drifting timeline, with the pop culture references changing throughout the series to reflect the year that chapters are released. For reference, the Oseman Verse timeline graphic puts down the "stand-in year" for Heartstopper Volume One as 2010, but then disclaims it that Heartstopper is clearly not set in 2010 because of anachronisms such as more modern iPhones. Therefore, it's easier to visualize the timeline based on the Osemanverse years. That is, Heartstopper Volume One always begins in January of Year One, while Solitaire always takes place in the beginning of Year Two, regardless of real-world time.
  • Coming of Age Story: The story talks about LGBTQ+ teenagers, their relatives, friends, love stories, struggles with their mental health, and queer-related issues along the road of self-acceptance and recovery.
  • Coming-Out Story: The comic depicts the joys and difficulties of being LGBTQ+ teenagers or young adults and shows how these characters figure out their identity, romantic/sexual orientation, discover love, hope and make friends throughout the story.
    • Subverted in that Charlie is already out at the time of the story, as are Tara, Darcy, and Elle. Played straight (as it were) with Nick.
  • Disproportionate Restitution: Discussed by Charlie when Harry came to apologise with a smile for all the homophobic stuff he had said and done to him and Nick.
    Charlie: What do you want from us? Forgiveness? "Well done"? ... You don't get to ambush me into forgiving you in front of everyone. One "sorry" doesn't make up for all the things you said.
  • Editorial Synesthesia: Charlie has black dots around him whenever he’s having mental health problems.
  • Eiffel Tower Effect: Invoked. During their class trip, they visited Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysées ... Still the basic tour with a vision of an idealized city.
  • Everything Sounds Sexier in French: When Charlie found out that Nick speaks fluent French...
    Nick: Charlie. Mon amour.
    Charlie: Oh my God shut up, you nerd! You're so cringey!
    Nick: Je ne comprends pas.
    Charlie: I hate yoouuu!
  • Family Theme Naming: The Spring siblings; Victoria, Charles, and Oliver all go by more modern-sounding nicknames derived from their old-fashioned names; Tori, Charlie, and Ollie respectively. Additionally, their nicknames all end with a long E sound.
  • First Kiss:
    • The much anticipated one between Nick and Charlie, it was also the first time Nick had ever kissed a boy.
    • In Chapter 4 there are Elle and Tao's kiss and the one between Mr. Ajayi and Mr. Farouk, for whom it was also his first kiss with a boy.
  • Foregone Conclusion: Alice Oseman's debut novel, Solitaire, takes place one year after Heartstopper begins, so readers who read Oseman's work by publication date will know in advance the general outline of Charlie's and Nick's fate, especially that Nick and Charlie become a couple, and that Charlie has a major health episode that informs the backdrop of Solitaire.
  • Hate Sink: David is a homo/biphobic douchebag with little to no redeeming qualities who constantly mocks Nick. He manages to come across as more dislikable than Ben or Harry, which is saying something.
  • Her Boyfriend's Jacket: Since the Snow Episode, Charlie borrowed at least four of Nick's oversized hoodies and forgot to give them back.
  • Lighter and Softer: Heartstopper is much more upbeat than Solitaire which the comic originally spun off from. This was intentional on the author's part as Nick and Charlie's relationship was a rare bright spot in Solitaire's darker storyline.
  • Luminescent Blush: Whether out of love, embarrassment, guilt, or any other emotion, all the characters blush in this way and really often.
  • Make-Out Kids: Once Tao and Elle start dating get used to them making out because they do so. A lot.
  • Magical Species Transformation: Non-canon, but a guest comic shows this happening to Nick's character in a game of Dungeons & Dragons the Paris Squad are playing when Charlie as a wizard screws up a teleportation spell.
  • Mutual Pining: Nick and Charlie both had crushes on each other, and were both surprised to find out that the other had feelings for them. Charlie especially, because he thought that Nick was straight at first.
  • Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Finally, Harry's plan only made Nick and Charlie closer and helped them become friends with Tara and her girlfriend, Darcy.
  • Now, Let Me Carry You: Nick supports Charlie through his mental health struggles during much of Chapter 5 and 6, and that section ends with Charlie helping Nick face his Dad and brother.
  • Off-Model: Characters’ faces occasionally look odd, (eg. Nick’s face being smaller than how it’s usually drawn) particularly in Volume 3.
  • One Head Taller: Downplayed. Nick is only slightly taller than Charlie.
  • One True Love: One of the alternate universe side stories confirms that Nick and Charlie would find each other in any universe.
  • Regional Speciality: When Elle introduced her friends to her mother's delicious Egyptian falafels she had brought.
  • Rejected Apology: Charlie refused Ben and Harry's. See Disproportionate Restitution above.
  • Relationship Sabotage: Harry invited Charlie to his party in order to make him jealous by lying and forcing Nick to reconnect with his former crush Tara Jones. It failed...
  • Relationship Upgrade: When finally Nick and Charlie took time to discuss and admit their feelings to each other. However, it was still unclear to the others whether they were still friends or whether they were now dating, until they felt ready to officially announce their relationship in Chapter 4.
  • Retcon: Nick and Charlie was written before Heartstopper. In it, Nick says that he’s “never liked” Tao. He tolerates him enough to be in a friendship group with him, so this probably isn’t entirely true. It’s left out of the revised edition.
  • Shirtless Scene: Despite having already seen several times Nick in the rugby locker room, it has a significant impact on Charlie when his boyfriend takes his shirt off.
  • Spit Take: Charlie’s dad does one of these when Charlie tells him that Nick is his boyfriend.
  • Sleep Cute: Happens several times throughout the comic.
  • Snow Means Love: Reconstruction The first time Charlie has ever been to Nick's house, it started snowing. They shared a rather romantic moment of complicity in the snow and got even closer when Charlie caught a cold and Nick lent him his hoodie.
  • The "I Love You" Stigma: Averted Charlie, despite his difficulty in confessing his feelings to Nick, ends up telling him I love you to which his boyfriend responds fondly.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech:
    • Given by Charlie to Ben when they broke up and he blamed him for taking advantage of him.
    • Given several times by Nick and then Charlie to Harry because of his homophobic remarks and harassment towards Charlie.
    • Nick gives one to David (for being a biphobic asshole) and his father (for not visiting more often). After Nick storms out of the room, his mother gives one to both of them as well.
  • Unresolved Sexual Tension:
    • Occured during the first two chapters between Nick and Charlie before they kissed.
    • Same between Elle and Tao or even between Mr. Ajayi and Mr. Farouk in Chapter 4 until they eventually got together as a couple.
  • Webcomic Time: Chapter 1 of Heartstopper began releasing in 2016, but the series did not reach December of "Year One" until 2020, and only with a Time Skip, with the events between Chapter 5 and 6 being shown through Flashback. The author has decided not to compensate and instead continue with the Osemanverse's drifting timeline.
  • White Male Lead: Despite the diversity of the characters, the two protagonists are white male teenagers but not straight.note 
  • You Are Not Alone:
    • All throughout the story, Charlie and mainly Nick are present to support, protect and listen to one another.
    • The Paris Squad, in a way, exists to help each other as friends to talk about their issues and allows them to share joy and hope together.

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