It Rhymes with Takei

For decades, Takei has been an icon—first as Star Trek’s Hikaru Sulu, later as an outspoken activist for progressive causes. But behind his easy charm and charismatic persona was a secret he spent most of his life desperate to keep from being revealed. In this deeply personal graphic memoir, Takei reveals his lifelong journey to accepting himself and to publicly embracing his identity as a gay man. Working again with the creative team behind They Call Us Enemy, Takei traces his early experiences with love and heartbreak in the restrictive 1950s, his struggle to navigate Hollywood as a closeted gay man in the 1960s, and his ultimate decision to come out publicly in 2005, at age 68. While much of this volume is devoted to unflinchingly honest depictions of Takei’s experiences with shame, fear, and the pain that suppressing his true identity caused himself and his loved ones, his long journey from living a life ruled by fear of exposure to one of pride in himself and advocacy for others is ultimately an inspiring illustration of love—love of oneself and of others—conquering all.