Thanks for checking this episode out! Honestly I had a hard time refining everything I wanted to talk about down to 8 minutes without just glossing over the especially important parts (to me). I’ve been going back and forth on this episode for a while, so I hope it’s at least a little bit interesting for those of you unfamiliar with Love & Rockets, and for those of you familiar. I’ll be doing more on the patreon and likely more episodes about L&R in the future as there’s so much to talk about. This is my long winded way of saying hope you enjoy this one. - Hass
My least favourite strips from Jaime were the first couple- I would suggest pushing through those if they aren’t working for you (or skipping them). Once it settles into its regular slice of life flow, it’s especially excellent.
Excellent video, as always! Love & Rockets has been going on for so long, it can be quite intimidating to start. This is a great, helpful primer. Thanks!
Just got issues 14 to 50 for 1-2 dollar a piece at a used bookstore. I knew about love and rockets but never read it due to their rarity in dollar bins (my domain). Became a fan of the Hernandez Bros because of finding an old copy of Mister X on clearance (awesome stuff). I read 14 15 and 16 while at the store and I'm confused af....but I started to get some understanding by 16. The art is great...the stories are pretty out there. I'm not really into the whole sex in comics, but I'm trying to see past that for the overall picture. Hopefully as I read the story will be as much as a pay off as the art is. These guys are probably the most prolific self made Hispanic cartoonists and I admire that since I want to make my own comics as well.
Panel design should be touched on. In this case there are three panel areas that are common to all the 9 squares, which fells us that there’s a single narrative going on in all of them: the subject of the story isn’t changing on this page. The upper third is all lettering. It’s very dense, but it’s all very readable because the reader doesn’t have to guess where to read next. The middle third is all character beats. The bottom third (and background) never changes, which grounds the space and the reader never has to guess where this action is taking place. (And we can note that the dead-accurate desks and pictures are each drawn separately, not photoshop-copied panel to panel.) It would be reaching to point out that this is the same narrative arrangement that the Bayeaux Tapestry uses for its historical narrative, but the same structure is clearly there in both cases.
Yeah the lettering and structure is very European in approach, when you look at things like Hergé and the top third rule. It's the same as you see in mid-grade/YA books often, too, where clarity takes priority over bombast. It's a very readable comic for people who aren't sort of steeped in understanding comics, certainly.
Discovered your channel the other week. Great stuff, super usefully for an up and coming graphic novel creator, especially the videos about dealing with time and movement in panels. What I would like to know however is do you know of any examples in comics about how to depict time flowing in reverse, kinda similar to the movie Tenet? I'm working on a project where one of the characters has the ability to reverse time somewhat and the few examples I've seen in comics of this power haven't quite got the action looking right in my eye. Do you have any examples of comics with this type of power?
I've bought the first volume, and to be frank, it bores me to tears. I know it drops the sci-fi elements later, but I'd just like to know if it's worth continuing?
The earliest stuff was my least favourite. I think it's a combo of the sci-fi elements and how much Jaime was writing in the captions, it really slowed the whole thing down too much for me. But if you get past those early strips it gets significantly different, and (for me) much stronger.
It’s one of the best Indy comics EVER. That said, readers who are discovering it now, have to realize that the original 50 issues came out over a 15 year period , so it’s a slow but worthwhile burn.
I recommend starting with the third Jaime collection, Perla La Loca (which happens to be the book this video's page comes from), and catching up with Jaime's early stuff later if you want. For me, he really hits his stride partway through the second collection with the storyline The Death of Speedy. The earliest stuff is okay but not his best at all. It's not only that the sci-fi elements drop away almost completely in the later material, but also his writing and drawing get better. He's been operating at peak level for like twenty years or so now. His finest work is probably the story The Love Bunglers, but that's best appreciated after reading a lot of early stuff and being familiar with the characters. He's become one of the master cartoonists in terms of draftsmanship, character, visual storytelling, etc., but I wouldn't recommend starting at the beginning of his body of work. Pick up Perla La Loca and go forward from there, and go back to the first two collections later.
![일상 속 기분 좋음 [Proto disco meme]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DwmEIaZ7XGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for checking this episode out! Honestly I had a hard time refining everything I wanted to talk about down to 8 minutes without just glossing over the especially important parts (to me). I’ve been going back and forth on this episode for a while, so I hope it’s at least a little bit interesting for those of you unfamiliar with Love & Rockets, and for those of you familiar. I’ll be doing more on the patreon and likely more episodes about L&R in the future as there’s so much to talk about.
This is my long winded way of saying hope you enjoy this one.
- Hass
One of the best channels on the platform! It’s always a delight when I get a new Strip Panel Naked vid in the sub box.
Thanks Jorge! Sorry they're a bit few and far between!
🤣 these sneaky 9 panel grid episodes
It's not about the griiiiiiid!
Always heard about Love & Rockets, never had the energy to start - you've just convinced me to give it an honest shot!
My least favourite strips from Jaime were the first couple- I would suggest pushing through those if they aren’t working for you (or skipping them). Once it settles into its regular slice of life flow, it’s especially excellent.
Excellent video, as always! Love & Rockets has been going on for so long, it can be quite intimidating to start. This is a great, helpful primer. Thanks!
Glad to see you highlighting Jaime! Curious what you think of Gilbert. A style evolution video on him would be interesting
Just got issues 14 to 50 for 1-2 dollar a piece at a used bookstore. I knew about love and rockets but never read it due to their rarity in dollar bins (my domain). Became a fan of the Hernandez Bros because of finding an old copy of Mister X on clearance (awesome stuff).
I read 14 15 and 16 while at the store and I'm confused af....but I started to get some understanding by 16. The art is great...the stories are pretty out there. I'm not really into the whole sex in comics, but I'm trying to see past that for the overall picture. Hopefully as I read the story will be as much as a pay off as the art is. These guys are probably the most prolific self made Hispanic cartoonists and I admire that since I want to make my own comics as well.
Did you ever finish reading up to #50?
Panel design should be touched on. In this case there are three panel areas that are common to all the 9 squares, which fells us that there’s a single narrative going on in all of them: the subject of the story isn’t changing on this page.
The upper third is all lettering. It’s very dense, but it’s all very readable because the reader doesn’t have to guess where to read next.
The middle third is all character beats.
The bottom third (and background) never changes, which grounds the space and the reader never has to guess where this action is taking place. (And we can note that the dead-accurate desks and pictures are each drawn separately, not photoshop-copied panel to panel.)
It would be reaching to point out that this is the same narrative arrangement that the Bayeaux Tapestry uses for its historical narrative, but the same structure is clearly there in both cases.
Yeah the lettering and structure is very European in approach, when you look at things like Hergé and the top third rule. It's the same as you see in mid-grade/YA books often, too, where clarity takes priority over bombast. It's a very readable comic for people who aren't sort of steeped in understanding comics, certainly.
Love & Rockets is so good. Jaime and Gilbert are just so incredible. Jaime’s inks though.. amazing.
I haven't read as much Gilbert, but have one of the big hardcovers of his work ready to go--!
Viva Los Bros! Thanks so much for this!
Thanks for checking it out!
You keep cranking out your dope content and I’ll keep enjoying it!
Los Bros are only getting better. The latest issue is terrific.
You should cover Gilbert next!
Brilliant analysis 🧐👍
Discovered your channel the other week. Great stuff, super usefully for an up and coming graphic novel creator, especially the videos about dealing with time and movement in panels. What I would like to know however is do you know of any examples in comics about how to depict time flowing in reverse, kinda similar to the movie Tenet? I'm working on a project where one of the characters has the ability to reverse time somewhat and the few examples I've seen in comics of this power haven't quite got the action looking right in my eye. Do you have any examples of comics with this type of power?
Great vid
Thanks Jay.
Yaaaasssss
I've bought the first volume, and to be frank, it bores me to tears. I know it drops the sci-fi elements later, but I'd just like to know if it's worth continuing?
The earliest stuff was my least favourite. I think it's a combo of the sci-fi elements and how much Jaime was writing in the captions, it really slowed the whole thing down too much for me. But if you get past those early strips it gets significantly different, and (for me) much stronger.
It’s one of the best Indy comics EVER. That said, readers who are discovering it now, have to realize that the original 50 issues came out over a 15 year period , so it’s a slow but worthwhile burn.
I recommend starting with the third Jaime collection, Perla La Loca (which happens to be the book this video's page comes from), and catching up with Jaime's early stuff later if you want. For me, he really hits his stride partway through the second collection with the storyline The Death of Speedy. The earliest stuff is okay but not his best at all. It's not only that the sci-fi elements drop away almost completely in the later material, but also his writing and drawing get better. He's been operating at peak level for like twenty years or so now. His finest work is probably the story The Love Bunglers, but that's best appreciated after reading a lot of early stuff and being familiar with the characters. He's become one of the master cartoonists in terms of draftsmanship, character, visual storytelling, etc., but I wouldn't recommend starting at the beginning of his body of work. Pick up Perla La Loca and go forward from there, and go back to the first two collections later.