Over the last several years, the Hernandez Brothers have been delivering their “Love and Rockets” stories in a series of graphic novel-length anthologies. Now, a bit bored and a bit fed up with that system, Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez bring Hope, Maggie, Fritz, Rosario, and so many more characters back to the magazine format. Much like their original publication, Fantagraphics is releasing the latest volume in oversized floppies.
Even though the delivery of these stories is constantly shifting, “Love and Rockets Magazine” #1 showcases Los Bros Hernandez embracing the page length and cartooning in their usual fine form.
Written and Illustrated by Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez
The comic book event of 2016! Love and Rockets is back as an all-new, ongoing comic book series (Vol. IV for those keeping track at home)! On Jaime’s side: What do you do when none of your old punk friends want to be punk any more? And just who does the evil Princess Animus think she is? (Hint: She doesn’t know, she has amnesia.) On Gilbert’s side: Family drama takes center stage when a Fritz discovers a grandchild she didn’t know existed! Old fans and new fans are sure to enjoy the most diverse cast of characters in comics, including Maggie, Hopey, Pipo, Fritz, Tonta, Baby, and many more! Plus other surprises! Grrrowl!
It’s impossible to neglect the power and the impact of Jaime and Gilbert (and sometimes Mario) Hernandez’s comic series; in fact, it’s more likely to be taken for granted. Born partly from a love for old comics, from a desire to try something new, and from strong ties to the California punk scene, “Love and Rockets” has always been anarchic, heartbreaking, hysterical, thrilling, and, most of all, humane. There’s an entire universe in these pages, splitting between the Locas stories from Jaime and the Palomar (thought it’s really far beyond Palomar at this point) saga from Gilbert. You see your family, your friends, loves, and people you’ve grown up with all throughout these pages. Each narrative might be specifically focused, especially with Latino culture and especially with California Latino culture, but that makes it far more grounded and realistic for the rest of us. It’s a universal narrative.
I’m not saying anything entirely new.
“Love and Rockets Magazine” #1 isn’t necessarily the best jumping on place for new readers. It’s easy to enjoy: you can piece together who these people are and get the gist of their relationships with each other without much difficulty. However, the material is richer for the conext. The Jaime stories — ‘I Come From Above to Avoid a Double Chin’ and ‘Isla of the Islands’, for instance — the back-knowledge for these characters and experiences or whatever gives the story a more appropriate impact. And I’m sure that some people will be scratching their head at Gilbert’s ‘Rosalba Fritz Martinez: Actress, Dancer, Producer’ and the characters’ motivations therein. Even though they’re launching with a new #1, Los Bros Hernandez aren’t pandering to a new audience. For them, the new format means new ways of telling stories. For us, it means catching up as quickly as possible so we can experience it along with them.
In a way, “Love and Rockets” is almost the antidotal comic book. The series has been running for about 35 years, with many of the same characters popping in and out of it. Yet there’s never a feeling like the Hernandez Brothers are trying to protect their IP or are just falling into the same cycles and sensationalistic events in order to drum up interest, revenue, and relevancy. These characters are allowed to grow, to change, to experience. Ambitions fall short, people drift apart, the death of one character lingers over another’s head for the rest of their lives. Family history and placement both boosts and hinders generations. There’s a history here, a set of events that lead to another event, and the series is so engaging for it. You still see that, albeit like a snapshot, in “Love and Rockets Magazine” #1.
None of the people in this book are the same as their first appearance, but at the same time, they aren’t far removed from the people presented in “Love and Rockets” #1 in 1981. The Hernandezes understand people may grow up, but there are some traits and tics that will never change. Maggie, for example, for as cautious as she’s grown, as more aware of what’s going on around her she’s become, is still irresistibly drawn toward Hopey. No matter how hard she tries to avoid her, there’s this weird magnetic attraction where both of them realize what they’re after is nowhere near healthy, but they still go for it anyway.
Continued belowOf course, the whole thing isn’t gloomy or grim. Even in the more literary stories, both Hernandez brothers show a remarkable sense of play. I love how the punk music is presented in giant bold letters that takes up most of the frame. I got a kick out of how Gilbert blocked out some of the nudity when showing a character might not be old enough to be working in the porn industry. (Was that a jab at that Rio Rancho High School censorship challenge? Maybe?) In the story closing out the collection, Jaime tries out a goofy superhero narrative and the results are weird and hysterical. “Love and Rockets” isn’t just a space for Los Bros Hernandez to weave their narratives, but it’s a place for them to play with the format and the medium. That craft and that playfulness all combine to make something special.
With the graphic novel-sized editions, Jaime and Gilbert had more space to tell their stories. “Love and Rockets Magazine” #1 i only 32 pages, so they have to flex their more concentrated techniques. Gilbert has the longest single contribution at 16 pages, while Jaime puts out three stories. There’s probably a larger challenge in giving a full story in a few quick flashes. In a testament to their cartooning powers, both Gilbert and Jaime are able to tell multitudes with a single gesture or a perfectly captured image. It’s the sort of work that can only come after decades of honing your craft.
The mantra usually went that Jaime was the better artist while Gilbert told the stronger, more ambitious stories. It’s entirely possible the two of them have believed this about themselves and fallen into patterns. Jaime remains as expressive and animated with his caricatures as ever. They’re constantly moving, constantly positioned in a way that feels natural and real. But I think Gilbert has the more interesting environments and backgrounds. I noticed that especially in the wispy atmosphere, those clouds rising above his characters’ heads, delivered with short, hatched lines. It’s not that his characters aren’t as expressive, but he tends to draw them in more stoic positions more often. The environments, though, are evocative. They add to the emotion, and it’s easy to get caught up in that dream-like state.
At the end of the day, even if you’re lost about all the background stories, even if you’re struggling to keep track of all these people and what they mean to each other, even if you feel like you’ve been thrown in the middle of something you couldn’t possibly understand, Los Bros Hernandez still provide an expert course in cartooning and characterization. They write toward the space with aplomb and nothing about this feels like it comes up short or unsatisfying. “Love and Rockets Magazine” #1 might not be the best introduction to a series that spans decades and generations, but it will make you want to go back to the beginning (or go back to the beginning again) to catch up.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – A fine continuation of the “Love & Rockets” legacy.
