On the week leading to Valentine’s Day, we pin the corsage and become pinkly poetic. It’s an invitation to love!
And with that in mind, DC is releasing an 80 pager, “Strange Love Adventures”.
There is a ‘bevy’ of talent in the anthology; its eight tall tales are written and drawn by a wide variety of creatives. Familiar names include Stephanie Phillips, Rich Douek, Ram V, and covers by Yanick Paquette and Amanda Conner.
The gist of the collection is that these love stories are not exactly Hallmark cards or TV movie plots. No, they are “strange”, and revolve around dysfunctional relationships (Harley and Joker), offbeat matchmaking (Flash for Grodd), potential heartbreak (Billy Batson), being patriotic to an amazingly jaw-dropping degree (Peacemaker), and touchingly sentimental (Batman).
There are a few pleasant surprises, including a wonderful Sgt Rock story, where Rock must make life or death choices as he battles his WWII foe on a hidden island. This one, Romance on Dinosaur Island, is written without a heavy hand by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and illustrated in a strongly realistic style by Christian Duce (Enrica Eren Angiolini colours, Steve Wands letters).
It’s a pastiche, a patchwork, a tribute to red roses, champagne, dating and drama, fun and imagination.
DC Comics, Strange Love Adventures #1, $9.99 for 80 pages of content, 13+
Newsdesk