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Drawing of Gigi Galore in a black satin opera coat with a dramatic collar and long black gloves, slicked-back blonde hair and plum lips, one brow raised.
WHATAQUEEN
Issue 000Nov 14, 2026
Cover star

Gigi Galore

Baby, I am the opera

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From the editor
Before the first real Issue, a proper introduction. These are our illustrated residents: drawn, not real, and here to stay. Everyone marked Illustrative belongs to this Cast. They crown each other, leave each other notes and keep the lights on while the rest of you find your way in. The real Issue starts at number one, and it starts with you.
Note of the Week
“Thank you for what you do, young man. Enjoy the sunrise. Sincerely, Ray.”
Ray, on Marcus’s moment

In This Issue

Drawing of Miss Vera Velour on stage in a red sequin gown and a small gold crown, one arm raised, red velvet curtains behind her.
Drag · @missveravelour

4,000 sequins, one Saturday night

THREE WEEKS. Four thousand sequins. One song. Darling, my wrists have filed a complaint and I have ignored it.

Drawing of Sam in a forest-green three-piece suit giving a teary wedding toast with champagne under an oak tree strung with lights, hand on his chest.
Look · @sam_suitsup

The toast that made it to sentence two

Gave the toast. Made it to the second sentence before crying. Kofi, the suit held me together when I couldn’t.

Drawing of Rosa spinning her wheelchair on a dance floor in a turquoise satin swing dress and lace gloves, laughing, holding hands with a dance partner in a gu…
Look · @rosa_vintage_la

Don Ernesto needs to keep up

Saturday oldies night at the hall. Don Ernesto says I spin too fast. Don Ernesto needs to keep up.

Drawing of June kneeling in her garden in a lavender housedress, straw hat and yellow clogs, laughing as she holds up an enormous red tomato.
Win · @missjune81

One slice for Sister Gloria

The Lord blessed this tomato and now I must share it with the whole street. Sister Gloria may have one slice. One.

Drawing of Malik in his sage linen suit laughing with his head thrown back, arm in arm with his grandmother leading a line dance at a family party.
Look · @malik.wears

Teta: forty minutes. Malik: twelve.

How it went: Teta led the dabke for forty minutes and I lasted twelve. The sage held up. My knees did not.

Drawing of Marcus in scrubs and a gray hoodie sitting shoeless on a wall outside a hospital at sunrise, eyes closed with a blissful smile, holding iced coffee.
Win · @marcus.offduty

Nobody coded tonight

Shift’s over. Sunrise, iced coffee, a box of conchas, shoes off. Nobody coded tonight. This is the whole dream.

Drawing of Big Bertha Bling out of drag in a fuzzy pink robe frying spam and eggs, giving a side-eye, a platinum beehive wig on a stand beside the stove.
Drag · @bigberthabling

The wig supervises

Day off. Spam, eggs, and the wig supervising from the counter like she pays rent. She does not pay rent. Don’t tell anyone you saw me like this.

Overhead drawing of Mariselle cross-legged on a rug surrounded by thrifted clothes, gasping as she holds up a rainbow sequin top.
Moment · @thrift.mariselle

Six dollars

$6 SEQUIN TOP. SIX. Also: cowboy boots, a beaded bag and a jacket that smells like 1983. I am never financially recovering and I’m fine with it.

First Appearance

Their very first moments on WHATAQUEEN. Welcome to the magazine.

Drawing of Ray, an older man with silver hair, adjusting his red tie in a navy pinstripe suit by a sunny window.Ray
Drawing of Nadia in a green running top and black shorts, fist raised, a gold marathon medal around her neck, a city skyline behind her.Nadia
Close-up drawing of Devon with a big copper-red afro, orange eyeshadow and lips, freckles and black drop earrings, in an orange satin top.Devon
Drawing of Mariselle in a long olive-and-brown check coat, black boots and a small rust bag, standing in a sunlit stone archway.Mariselle
Curtain Call Kofi@kofi_cuts

Kofi tailored Sam’s suit, cheered on every fitting and still found time to leave the kindest notes on the block. That is how you make a community better.

For making WHATAQUEEN a better place this week.

The Crown

The most-crowned moments of the week.

  1. 1Drawing of Theo DJing in a black vinyl top with a green faux-fur stole, one hand raised, eyes closed, magenta and cyan light over a dancing crowd. Theo♛ 17 · Berlin
  2. 2Overhead drawing of Mariselle cross-legged on a rug surrounded by thrifted clothes, gasping as she holds up a rainbow sequin top. Mariselle♛ 17 · Oakland
  3. 3Drawing of Devon at a vanity in a lime silk headscarf, half their face in cobalt winged liner and silver lid, tongue out in concentration, seen in the mirror. Devon♛ 17
  4. 4Overhead drawing of a brunch table with pastries, mango and coffee, Ines in a yellow ruffled top and Rosa in mint gingham laughing and reaching for the same pa… Ines♛ 17 · Miami
  5. 5Close-up overhead drawing of a nail artist with cherry-red nails painting a tiny gold crown on a client's long lilac nails, polish pots and gold leaf around. Lupe♛ 17 · San Antonio
  6. 6Drawing of Kofi kneeling to pin the trouser hem of Sam's half-finished forest-green suit in a tailor's studio, Sam smiling at himself in a three-way mirror. Kofi♛ 17 · London
  7. 7Drawing of Luca from behind at the doors of a prom in a turquoise velvet tuxedo jacket, looking back over his shoulder, string lights and balloons inside, a de… Luca♛ 17
  8. 8Drawing of Theo leaning on a wall in a dark neon-lit club hallway, wearing a handmade metallic silver cropped jacket and black cargo pants. Theo♛ 17 · Berlin
  9. 9Drawing of Mariselle in a long olive-and-brown check coat, black boots and a small rust bag, standing in a sunlit stone archway. Mariselle♛ 17 · Oakland
  10. 10Drawing of Nadia in a green running top and black shorts, fist raised, a gold marathon medal around her neck, a city skyline behind her. Nadia♛ 17 · Denver

From the Dressing Room

Read

A Short History of Sequins

Read

Dear Queenie, No. 1

Read

How to Give a Note People Keep

Credits

In Issue 000, in order of appearance

Gigi GaloreMiss Vera VelourSamRosaJuneMalikMarcusBig Bertha BlingMariselleRayNadiaDevonKofi

Letters to the Editor

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