[This review of "Love and Rockets Volume II #2 is the second comic book review that I ever wrote for my “Negromancer” blog, the original version, way back in mid-Summer of 2001. Recently, I was able to recover my files from two 2000s-era hard drives. Beginning with this review, I am going to go back and re-edit all my original “Negromancer” comic book reviews and post these updated versions on here, my “I Reads You” blog. I hope you enjoy the trip back in time.]
LOVE AND ROCKETS VOLUME II #2
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
STORY: Gilbert Hernandez; Jaime Hernandez; Mario Hernandez
ART: Gilbert Hernandez; Jaime Hernandez
LETTERS: Gilbert Hernandez; Jaime Hernandez
EDITOR: Gary Groth
COVER: Gilbert Hernandez with Carrie Whitney
BACK COVER: Jaime Hernandez with Carrie Whitney
36pp, B&W, $3.95 U.S., $5.95 CAN (Summer 2001)
The return of Love and Rockets can be viewed with trepidation. After all, Gilbert Hernandez’s Luba, Luba’s Comics and Stories, and his all ages title Measles, and Jaime Hernandez’s Penny Century well served their talents. However, fans of the Los Bros. were apparently having trouble finding their post L&R work precisely because it did not carry the “Love and Rockets” brand. Volume II of the fabled title, which ran from the mid-80’s to the mid 90’s for 50 beautiful issues and is one of the all time great comic book series reunites Jaime Hernandez and Gilbert Hernandez with brother Mario Hernandez for the first time in ages. It’s off to a wobbly start.
The first reason is because it follows such an important and well-regarded work as the original series and expectations are very high. Secondly and more important, the brothers have simply outgrown it the need for an anthology series that combines their work.
Gilbert is the least served by the new series of the three. His aforementioned solo works served his growing talent as a writer, difficult, as it is to believe that he could get better. With the serialized “Blood of Palomar, “X,” and “Poison River,” Gilbert had proved himself to be the preeminent comic book writer. Yes, better than anyone writing during that time, including Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman, who were getting all the attention. His post L&R solo titles served Gilbert’s ability to weave a long story arc over several issues or different titles. The stories were stunning when read together, but they were almost as good when read as single issues.
Love and Rockets Volume II #2 opens with “Julio’s Day,” Gilbert’s short tale that showcases everything that he does well: evocative dialogue and excellent page layouts. His art is that which marks him as a special cartoonist, that being a writer who can tell his story in words and pictures as well or better than it could be told in words or in pictures alone. However, the format of L&R Volume II limits Gilbert’s contribution to these kinds of nice little shorts like “Julio’s Day,” of which he is quite good. We can, however, get that from Measles; or the two Luba titles.
The issue’s second offering is Jaime’s “Maggie,” which is a pleasant little offering as far as the story goes, nothing serious or earth shattering. Although capable of beautiful, longer work, Jaime thrives in short stories and vignettes; he entertains in one page as easily as some can fail to entertain in a four issue mini-series.
The ongoing revelation is certainly Jaime’s continuing, astounding growth as an artist. From the beginning, his talent was obvious, and his ability to harness that talent became evident with each story. I am so overwhelmed by his illustrative powers that I can hardly stand to look at a page for more than a minute before I must turn my face lest I go blind. As an illustrator of black and white comic books, he is Toth-good, Eisner-good, Wood-good, and too damn good.
Mario Hernandez returns in the current issue as a writer with Gilbert as artist in "Me for the Unknown." The story’s surrealism is ably matched by Gilbert’s drawing prowess, but the story fails to arouse much interest. I’m quite sure that it would be best read in its entirety. The feeling is that something fantastic waits just over the horizon from these the combo of these two brothers, but serialization may not be good for any Mario-Beto collaborations.
The issue’s final offering is Gilbert’s return of Errata Stigmata is “Erratic Stigmatic,” which is a welcome return of an old character. It is a nice morsel of Beto’s continuing experimentation with his brand of surrealism, which mixes and matches several genres, artistic styles, and storytelling forms. Uniquely his own brand of work, one can see a story like the above and realize that there is nothing like Beto’s cartooning in current comics.
Reservations aside, this book is not to be missed simply for the fact that three brilliant comic book minds are moving and expanding the medium. Over time the series will gain its own momentum and surprise and delight us as the original did. Sadly, this is largely lost on a comic book reading populace that is too hungry for the next bat/mutant/manga event spectacular.
A-
★★★½ out of 4 stars
Edited from the original: Sunday, April 20, 2025
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
Enjoy Love & Rockets paperback and hardcover trade collections found at the LOVE AND ROCKETS LIBRARY page at Amazon.
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