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#30 Love Everlasting Vol 1 by Tom King and Elsa Charretier


I did not expect this. And you might ask, what exactly did I expect? Something different? After all, we are talking about Tom King. I am not sure why I was caught off guard, since in my opinion, he is the most introspective, truly “modern” comics writer working today, with experience both in the superhero genre and in his own original works, such as Love Everlasting.

Of course, there are many other creators out there, talented and accomplished, both newcomers and veterans. Yet what King does with structure and form is, to me, the closest thing to Alan Moore, as a friend from the northern regions once accurately pointed out. When I say he reminds me of Moore, I mean in certain aspects, such as his use of any given genre to comment on and deconstruct elements of humanity on a social level, for example popular culture. From a formalist perspective, I am certain he does this in The Vision, Mister Miracle, and Love Everlasting. In the latter, he takes romance comics and blends them with other genres, science fiction, western, or period drama, then analyzes and deconstructs them without making it seem like an end in itself. On the contrary, he does it subtly, prompting you to think about what you are actually reading. Just when you expect a familiar turn, he subverts it, adding or removing information, and in its place you may find a thread of existential anxiety or philosophical exploration into subjects like death or emotional repression, the central theme of Love Everlasting.

Joan is a woman trapped… I have to be careful with what I reveal, because avoiding spoilers here is important. She is caught in situations she did not choose, forced to follow predetermined paths because otherwise the outcome will not be in her favor. She is, in effect, living in captivity and trying to find the thread that will lead her to freedom. The reader does not immediately realize this, I certainly didn’t, so I will not say more, as even these few details might already give too much away.

I have not yet read the second volume, but I have the feeling things will become even more difficult for Joan. Judging from the way King handles his stories, I expect the tone will grow darker.

As I mentioned at the beginning, I started reading this comic thinking it would be something lighthearted, which, of course, it is not. What puzzles me is why I believed it would be. When did the writer ever give me that impression? He has always written this way. I suppose it might have to do with the choice of artist, the incredibly talented Elsa Charretier, whose aesthetic initially suggests something entirely different from where the script ultimately leads. This is the magic of comics, the magic of collaborative creation, when writing and art sometimes align, sometimes aim at different meanings, misleading and suggesting, yet ultimately remaining interdependent.

Give this work a chance, and try not to read too much about it beforehand. I hope this piece hasn’t spoiled your experience in the slightest, but instead encouraged you to explore it yourself.

Until next time — be well, and keep reading.

It’s important!

 

Accompanying Notes: 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=kTQdjLSw5m8

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