Love and Rockets (comics)

Last updated

Love and Rockets
LoveAndRockets16.jpg
Cover illustration by Gilbert Hernandez for Love and Rockets #16, depicting two of his major Palomar characters, Heraclio and Carmen.
Publication information
Publisher Fantagraphics
Scheduleirregular
Format Ongoing series
Publication date
  • Vol. 1: September 1982 – April 1996
  • Vol. 2: 2001–2007
  • Vol. 3: 2008–2016
  • Vol. 4: 2016–present
No. of issues
  • Vol. 1: 50
  • Vol. 2: 20
  • Vol. 3: 8
  • Vol. 4: 15
Creative team
Created by

Love and Rockets (often abbreviated L&R) is a comic book series by the Hernandez brothers: Gilbert, Jaime, and Mario. It was one of the first comic books in the alternative comics movement of the 1980s. [1]

Contents

The Hernandez brothers produce stories in the series independently of each other. Gilbert and Jaime produce the majority of the material, and tend to focus on particular casts of characters and settings. Those of Gilbert usually focus on a cast of characters in the fictional Central American village of Palomar; the stories often feature magic realist elements. The Locas stories of Jaime center on a social group in Los Angeles, particularly the Latina friends and sometime-lovers Maggie and Hopey.

Publication history

The brothers Gilbert, Jaime, and Mario Hernandez self-published the first issue of Love and Rockets in 1981. In 1982, Fantagraphics Books republished this issue with a color cover. The series was published at magazine size, larger than typical American comic books. Either Gilbert or Jaime, the series' main contributors, would provide the front cover for a given issue, and the other the back; they alternated these duties each issue. The first volume ended with the 50th issue in 1996. The second volume ran for twenty issues from 2001 to 2007 in standard US comic book size.

New stories

The third series, Love and Rockets: New Stories, which ran for eight issues, began in 2008, published annually in 100-page, graphic novel-sized issues: [2]

  1. New Stories, volume 1, 112 pages (2008)
  2. New Stories, volume 2, 104 pages (2009)
  3. New Stories, volume 3, 104 pages (2010)
  4. New Stories, volume 4, 104 pages (2011)
  5. New Stories, volume 5, 96 pages (2012)
  6. New Stories, volume 6, 100 pages (2013)
  7. New Stories, volume 7, 100 pages (2015)
  8. New Stories, volume 8, 100 pages (2016)

In 2012, Jaime Hernandez's individual stories from the first two volumes of New Stories were collected into a single collection, entitled God and Science: Return of the Ti-Girls, which also included about 30 new pages of comics. In 2014, his stories from volumes 3 and 4 were collected into a single collection entitled The Love Bunglers. In 2019, two collections were released: Is This How You See Me? collecting stories from volumes 5, 7 and 8, as well as issues 1-5 of Vol. IV; and Tonta, collecting stories from volumes 5 and 6.

Volume IV

In 2016, Fantagraphics began releasing Volume IV of Love and Rockets, returning to its original, magazine-sized format. [3] As of February 2025, fifteen issues have been released.

Overview

The Hernandez brothers self-published the first issue of Love and Rockets in 1981, but since 1982 it has been published by Fantagraphics Books. The brothers sent a copy of their self-published comic to The Comics Journal , an imprint of Fantagraphics, for a review. Gary Groth was so impressed with it that the company offered them a publishing deal. The magazine temporarily ceased publication in 1996 after the release of issue #50, while Gilbert and Jaime went on to do separate series involving many of the same characters. However, in 2001 "Los Bros Hernandez" (as they are often referred to) revived the series as Love and Rockets Volume 2.

Love and Rockets contains several ongoing serial narratives, the most prominent being Gilbert's Palomar stories and Jaime's Hoppers 13 (aka Locas) stories. It also contains one-offs, shorter stories, surrealist jokes, and more.

Palomar tells the story of a fictional village in Latin America and its inhabitants. Its vibrant characters and sometimes-fantastic events are sometimes compared to the magical realism literary style of authors such as Gabriel García Márquez and Jorge Luis Borges. The series is also sometimes referred to as Heartbreak Soup, after the first story set in Palomar.

Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez at the 2007 ComicCon. Gilbert is in the middle, Jaime is in the green shirt. Los Bros Hernandez 2007.jpg
Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez at the 2007 ComicCon. Gilbert is in the middle, Jaime is in the green shirt.

Hoppers 13 follows the tangled lives of a group of primarily chicano characters, from their teenage years in the early days of the California punk scene to the present day. Hoppers, or Huerta, is a fictional city based on the Hernandezes' home town of Oxnard, California. Two memorable members of Jaime's cast are Margarita "Maggie" Luisa Chascarrillo and Esperanza "Hopey" Leticia Glass, whose on-again, off-again romance is a focus for many Hoppers 13 storylines. The series is also often called Locas (Spanish for "crazy women") because of the many quirky female characters depicted.

The original runs of Palomar and Locas have each been collected in recent one-volume editions by Fantagraphics (see Palomar (graphic novel)), although not all of the stories involving "Locas" and "Palomar" characters are contained in these collections. The original fifty-issue Love and Rockets Volume One has also been reprinted in its entirety in both a fifteen-volume paperback library, and more recently a seven-volume mass-market paperback series by Fantagraphics. In addition, several hardcovers collect edited versions of the series tales.

Many attempts have been made to make L&R into a movie, or series of movies. The movie rights had been held up in litigation for over 15 years.[ citation needed ] Gilbert Hernandez publicly announced in Toronto, Ontario in May 2013 that a deal had been struck to make a movie out of his "Palomar" story-line and that he was currently writing the script.[ citation needed ]

Characters

Jaime

Gilbert

Landmark stories

This list provides an example of the types of stories that helped Love and Rockets gain critical acclaim.

Jaime

Gilbert

Graphic novels and collections

The Complete Love and Rockets

All published at Fantagraphics: Fantagraphics stopped numbering the series after 24.

  1. Music for Mechanics by Los Bros Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #1-2; October 1985; 152 pages
    Preface by Carter Scholz
  2. Chelo's Burden by Los Bros Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #3-4, Mechanics #1 and original material; June 1986; 144 pages
    Preface by Gary Groth
  3. Las Mujeres Perdidas by Los Bros Hernandez (only Gilbert and Jaime); collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #5-11 and original material; August 1987; 160 pages
  4. Tears from Heaven by Los Bros Hernandez (Gilbert and Jaime; one cover by Mario); collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #5-8, 10-12, Mechanics #1-2, and original material; January 1988; 136 pages
  5. House of Raging Women , by Los Bros Hernandez (only Gilbert and Jaime from now on); collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #13-16 and original material; September 1988; 136 pages
  6. Duck Feet by Los Bros Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #6, 9, 17-20, and Anything Goes! #2; September 1988; 136 pages
  7. The Death of Speedy by Jaime Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #20-27; November 1989; 136 pages
  8. Blood of Palomar by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #21-26, Anything Goes! #4, The Reticent Heart and Other Stories, and original material; December 1989; 128 pages
  9. Flies on the Ceiling by Los Bros Hernandez (principally Jaime); collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #21, 27-32; October 1991; 128 pages
  10. Love and Rockets X by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #31-39; July 1993; 72 pages
  11. Wigwam Bam by Jaime Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #33-39, 42; March 1994; 136 pages
  12. Poison River by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #29-40; September 1994; 192 pages
  13. Chester Square by Jaime Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #40-50; July 1996; 160 pages
  14. Luba Conquers the World by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #41-48, 50, Ten Years of Love and Rockets and original material; December 1996; 136 pages
  15. Hernandez Satyricon by Los Bros Hernandez (Mario, Gilbert & Jaime Hernandez); collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #40-43, 45-46, 49-50, Ten Years of Love and Rockets and original material; August 1997; 160 pages
  16. Whoa Nellie! by Jaime Hernandez; collecting Whoa Nellie! #1-3; June 2000; 80 pages
  17. Fear of Comics by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting stories from New Love #1-6, Vortex #7, Hate #26, UG!3K & Expozo, Zero Zero #7, and Goody Good Comics #1; October 2000; 120 pages
  18. Locas in Love by Jaime Hernandez; collecting Maggie and Hopey Color Fun Special #1, and stories from Penny Century #1-4, and Measles #2; October 2000; 120 pages
  19. Luba in America by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting stories from New Love #1-6, Luba #1-4, Luba's Comics and Stories #1 and original material; January 2001; 168 pages
  20. Dicks and Deedees by Jaime Hernandez; collecting Penny Century #5-7 and stories from Love and Rockets vol. 2 #4-5; June 2003; 96 pages
  21. Luba: The Book of Ofelia by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting stories from Luba #3-10, Luba's Comics and Stories #2-5, and Measles #3; December 2005; 256 pages
  22. Ghost of Hoppers by Jaime Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 2 #1-4 and 6-10; December 2005; 120 pages
  23. Luba: Three Daughters by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting stories from Luba's Comics and Stories #3-4, 6, 8, Love and Rockets vol. 2 #6, 11-16, Measles #1 and original material; August 2006; 144 pages
  24. The Education of Hopey Glass by Jaime Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 2 #11-19; April 2008; 128 pages
  25. High Soft Lisp by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 2 #3-9, 11, 13-15, 17-18, and Luba's Comics and Stories #7; April 2010; 144 pages
  26. God and Science: Return of the Ti-Girls by Jaime Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets: New Stories #1-2 and original material; July 2012; 144 pages
  27. Julio's Day by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 2 #1-14, 17-19; April 2013; 112 pages
  28. The Children of Palomar by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting New Tales of Old Palomar #1-3; August 2013; 104 pages (part of the Ignatz series)
  29. The Love Bunglers by Jaime Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets: New Stories #3-4; April 2014; 100 pages
  30. Is This How You See Me? by Jaime Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets: New Stories #7-8 and Love and Rockets vol. 4 #1-5; April 2019; 96 pages
  31. Tonta by Jaime Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets: New Stories #5-6; July 2019; 104 pages
  32. Life Drawing by Jaime Hernandez; February 2025; 136 pages

Fritz B-Movies spin-offs

The following volumes by Gilbert Hernandez, under the collective title Fritz B-Movies, depict the filmography of B movie actress Fritz Martinez, Luba's youngest sister. Some of them have been prepublished in the magazine, but the majority appeared directly in book form.

  1. Chance in Hell, September 2007, 120 pages
  2. The Troublemakers, December 2009, 128 pages
  3. Love from the Shadows, May 2011, 130 pages
  4. Garden of the Flesh, September 2016, 96 pages
  5. Maria M. (includes volumes 1 & 2, the first one having been published in November 2013 as a standalone book), October 2019, 232 pages
  6. Hypnotwist/Scarlet by Starlight, February 2021, 96 pages
  7. Proof that the Devil loves You, August 2023, 96 pages

Love and Rockets Library

Volume 1 was re-released in smaller "omnibus" style trade paperbacks. Starting in 2010, volume 2's stories began getting re-releases as well. In 2018, the New Stories began being collected among the "omnibus" paperbacks.

  1. Maggie the Mechanic by Jaime Hernandez; Locas Book 1, collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #1-11, 13-15, Mechanics #1-2, and Anything Goes!; February 2007; 272 pages
  2. Heartbreak Soup by Gilbert Hernandez; Palomar Book 1, collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #3-10, 12-20; January 2007; 288 pages
  3. The Girl from H.O.P.P.E.R.S. by Jaime Hernandez; Locas Book 2, collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #13-32; June 2007; 272 pages
  4. Human Diastrophism by Gilbert Hernandez; Palomar Book 2, collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #21-26, 41-48, 50, Anything Goes! #4, The Reticent Heart and Other Stories, and Ten Years of Love and Rockets; July 2007; 288 pages
  5. Perla la Loca by Jaime Hernandez; Locas Book 3, collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #33-50; November 2007; 288 pages
  6. Beyond Palomar, by Gilbert Hernandez; Palomar Book 3, collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #29-40; October 2007; 256 pages
  7. Amor Y Cohetes by Jaime, Gilbert & Mario Hernandez; Non-Locas and Palomar comics, collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #1-5, 9, 11-12, 16-17, 19, 21, 27-29, 40-43, 45-46, 59-50, Ten Years of Love and Rockets, and The Village Voice ; April 2008; 280 pages
  8. Penny Century by Jaime Hernandez; Locas Book 4, collecting stories from Whoa, Nellie! #1-3, Maggie and Hopey Color Fun Special #1, Penny Century #1-7, and Love and Rockets vol. 2 #5; April 2010; 240 pages
  9. Esperanza by Jaime Hernandez; Locas Book 5, collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 2 #1-4, 6-19; August 2011; 248 pages
  10. Luba and Her Family by Gilbert Hernandez; Luba Book 1, collecting stories from New Love #1-6, Luba's Comics and Stories #1, Luba #1-4, and Measles #1, 6; June 2014; 312 pages
  11. Ofelia by Gilbert Hernandez; Luba Book 2, collecting stories from Luba's Comics and Stories #2-5, Luba #3-10, and Measles #3; January 2015; 256 pages
  12. Comics Dementia by Gilbert Hernandez; Non-Locas and Palomar comics; collecting stories from New Love #1-6, Love and Rockets vol. 2 #1-6, 8, 10-11, 14, and 19, Goody Good Comics #1, The Comics Journal Special Edition #1 and 4, Details Magazine #11/1992, UG!3K & Expozo, The Naked Cosmos, Centrifugal Bumble-Puppy #2, Slant Magazine, Weirdo #25, Strip AIDS U.S.A., Vortex #7, Hate #26, Mome #19, Zero Zero #7, and Measles #5; February 2016; 224 pages
  13. Angels and Magpies by Jaime Hernandez; Locas Book 6, collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 2 #20, and Love and Rockets: New Stories #1-4; December 2017; 260 pages
  14. Three Sisters by Gilbert Hernandez; Luba Book 3, collecting stories from Luba's Comics and Stories #3-4, 6-8, Love and Rockets vol. 2 #3-9, 11-18, and original material from Luba: Three Daughters; August 2018; 280 pages
  15. Children of Palomar & Other Stories by Gilbert & Mario Hernandez; Palomar Book 5 and uncollected non-Palomar stories, collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 2 #1-14, 17-19, New Love #6, New Tales of Old Palomar #1-3 and Love and Rockets: New Stories #1; January 2023; 280 pages [6]

Hardcovers

Edited segments of both the Palomar and the Maggie stories are available in hardcover format.

  1. Locas: The Maggie and Hopey Stories by Jaime Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #2-11, 13-28, 30-50, Mechanics #1, Anything Goes! #2, and additional material from The Complete Love & Rockets books; October 2004; 712 pages
  2. Locas II: Maggie, Hopey, and Ray by Jaime Hernandez; collecting Maggie and Hopey Color Fun Special #1, Penny Century #1-7, and stories from Love and Rockets vol. 2 #1-19; August 2009; 432 pages
  3. Palomar: The Heartbreak Soup Stories by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting stories from Love and Rockets vol. 1 #3-10, 12-26, 41-44, 46, 48, 50, Anything Goes! #4, The Reticent Heart and Other Stories, Ten Years of Love and Rockets, and additional material from The Complete Love & Rockets books; November 2003; 536 pages
  4. Luba by Gilbert Hernandez; collecting stories from New Love #1-6, Luba's Comics and Stories #1-6, 8, Luba #1-10, Measles #1, 3, stories from Love and Rockets vol. 2 #11-17, 20, and additional material from The Complete Love & Rockets books; April 2009; 608 pages

References

  1. Pierce, Leonard (July 23, 2009). "Love and Rockets". AV Club. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  2. Royal 2013.
  3. Rayner, Alex (August 10, 2016). "Love and Rockets rides again: 'we influenced a whole lot of cartoonists'". The Guardian . Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  4. the Wizard Staff (May 19, 2008). "The 200 Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time". Archived from the original on August 26, 2009.
  5. "Speedy Ortiz On The Brink Of Stardom: A Look At How The Boston Band Got There". wbur 90.9. April 21, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  6. "Children of Palomar and Other Tales: A Love and Rockets Book".

Works cited