Love and Rockets can be hard to penetrate for newer readers. When I’ve asked a few hardcore fans the suggestion was to read them as they came out (anthology style, some standalone strips and some serialized longer form stories). Then the readily available trades from Fantagraphics serve as a best of that isolates to a single brother’s work and makes it easier to read through a storyline. The hardcovers (like the “complete” Eightball reproduce the original issues cover to cover, which is very nicely done and more convenient to read. The price tag is high (got mine during the fantabucks annual sale so I also received $400 worth of Fantagraphics coupons). I’d honestly recommend reading a collected story to break in. It’s such a vast world (like life) that you get snippets of so many people’s lives (though not a traditional narrative that makes you feel like you’re following someone’s life or story from beginning to end) that it can be hard to keep track of who the characters are until you’ve been fully immersed. Read some of the acclaimed storylines to see if it hooks you. I recommend starting with Palomar by Gilbert, it’s where the stories first started diving into a more human drama focused narrative. I think it’s okay if they’re not as universally loved by newer readers, because we have such a wider field of options, but when it came out it was doing something very different that broke the ground for so much of what we love. And they are master cartoonists who have been entrenched in comics one way or another their whole lives. That skill and love really comes through in the art and I think that helps give them a timeless appeal.
Would love to hear info about the writing you’re doing for zines when it’s okay to share.
Love and Rockets can be hard to penetrate for newer readers. When I’ve asked a few hardcore fans the suggestion was to read them as they came out (anthology style, some standalone strips and some serialized longer form stories). Then the readily available trades from Fantagraphics serve as a best of that isolates to a single brother’s work and makes it easier to read through a storyline. The hardcovers (like the “complete” Eightball reproduce the original issues cover to cover, which is very nicely done and more convenient to read. The price tag is high (got mine during the fantabucks annual sale so I also received $400 worth of Fantagraphics coupons). I’d honestly recommend reading a collected story to break in. It’s such a vast world (like life) that you get snippets of so many people’s lives (though not a traditional narrative that makes you feel like you’re following someone’s life or story from beginning to end) that it can be hard to keep track of who the characters are until you’ve been fully immersed. Read some of the acclaimed storylines to see if it hooks you. I recommend starting with Palomar by Gilbert, it’s where the stories first started diving into a more human drama focused narrative. I think it’s okay if they’re not as universally loved by newer readers, because we have such a wider field of options, but when it came out it was doing something very different that broke the ground for so much of what we love. And they are master cartoonists who have been entrenched in comics one way or another their whole lives. That skill and love really comes through in the art and I think that helps give them a timeless appeal.
Would love to hear info about the writing you’re doing for zines when it’s okay to share.
Hey, Ray! Really enjoy reading the newsletter. Love your honest and transparent look at comics. Keep it up.
That’s very nice of you to say. Thanks!