The comics originally came out in the late 80s as mini-comics paid for by an institute for gay youths (where Velez worked at the time, which lends a great amount of credence to his takes on teens here). In 2004, Velez won a Xeric Grant, allowing him to put out a collection of the series.
The story follows a group of eight friends, tied together mostly by their shared sexuality, and through such a large cast, Velez is able to examine essentially every different social and ethnic approach to dealing with homosexuality as a teenager. And, as Velez shows, it can be rough. There is no sugar coating the experience here, and yet, he makes sure to make it that the work can be read by a young adult audience, which is appreciated, as this is just the kind of work that should be read by people hoping to have a window of insight into the world of teenagers.
It's amazing how the work is very much of its time, but it still reverberates today, not just as a snapshot of the past, but as a look at very basic human emotions and interactions.
