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FCBD 2016: Love & Rockets Sampler
Love and Rockets is one of the most acclaimed and beloved series in comics history, and this summer, Fantagraphics has announced that the series will be rebooted as a quarterly comic book series beginning with a new #1 in July! To celebrate, Fantagraphics is offering up this one-shot sampler featuring classic L&R material by the great Hernandez Brothers, including an all-new cover and several other surprises! A perfect introduction to one of the most wonderful bodies of work in our medium's history.
- GenresComicsSequential Art
38 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2016
17 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Gilbert Hernández
438 books422 followersGilbert and his brother Jaime Hernández mostly publish their separate storylines together in Love And Rockets and are often referred to as 'Los Bros Hernandez'.
Gilbert Hernandez is an American cartoonist best known for the Palomar and Heartbreak Soup stories in Love and Rockets, the groundbreaking alternative comic series he created with his brothers Jaime and Mario. Raised in Oxnard, California in a lively household shaped by comics, rock music and a strong creative streak, he developed an early fascination with graphic storytelling. His influences ranged from Marvel legends Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko to the humor and clarity of Hank Ketcham and the Archie line, as well as the raw energy of the underground comix that entered his life through his brother Mario.
In 1981 the brothers self-published the first issue of Love and Rockets, which quickly drew the attention of Fantagraphics Books. The series became a defining work of the independent comics movement, notable for its punk spirit, emotional depth and multiracial cast. Gilbert's Palomar stories, centered on the residents of a fictional Latin American village, combined magic realism with soap-opera intimacy and grew into an ambitious narrative cycle admired for its complex characters and bold storytelling. Works like Human Diastrophism helped solidify his reputation as one of the medium's most inventive voices.
Across periods when Love and Rockets was on hiatus, Hernandez built out a parallel body of work, creating titles such as New Love, Luba, and Luba's Comics and Stories, as well as later graphic novels including Sloth and The Troublemakers. He also collaborated with Peter Bagge on the short-lived series Yeah! and continued to explore new directions in Love and Rockets: New Stories.
Celebrated for his portrayal of independent women and for his distinctive blend of realism and myth, Hernandez remains a major figure in contemporary comics and a lasting influence on generations of artists.
Gilbert Hernandez is an American cartoonist best known for the Palomar and Heartbreak Soup stories in Love and Rockets, the groundbreaking alternative comic series he created with his brothers Jaime and Mario. Raised in Oxnard, California in a lively household shaped by comics, rock music and a strong creative streak, he developed an early fascination with graphic storytelling. His influences ranged from Marvel legends Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko to the humor and clarity of Hank Ketcham and the Archie line, as well as the raw energy of the underground comix that entered his life through his brother Mario.
In 1981 the brothers self-published the first issue of Love and Rockets, which quickly drew the attention of Fantagraphics Books. The series became a defining work of the independent comics movement, notable for its punk spirit, emotional depth and multiracial cast. Gilbert's Palomar stories, centered on the residents of a fictional Latin American village, combined magic realism with soap-opera intimacy and grew into an ambitious narrative cycle admired for its complex characters and bold storytelling. Works like Human Diastrophism helped solidify his reputation as one of the medium's most inventive voices.
Across periods when Love and Rockets was on hiatus, Hernandez built out a parallel body of work, creating titles such as New Love, Luba, and Luba's Comics and Stories, as well as later graphic novels including Sloth and The Troublemakers. He also collaborated with Peter Bagge on the short-lived series Yeah! and continued to explore new directions in Love and Rockets: New Stories.
Celebrated for his portrayal of independent women and for his distinctive blend of realism and myth, Hernandez remains a major figure in contemporary comics and a lasting influence on generations of artists.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 11, 2016
Wow, what a waste of time. Nothing flowed and it was hard to follow.
The only thing it had going for it was the black and white art.
What I didn't understand was why all the women looked tore up?
The only thing it had going for it was the black and white art.
What I didn't understand was why all the women looked tore up?
September 18, 2018
Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez are indie comics gods. That’s a fact. Since 1982 they’ve been celebrating their Latino heritage with crisp, clean black-and-white stories about immigrants, punk rockers, junkies, and hustlers. Although I’ve never really gotten too into their stuff, their talent and longevity are undeniable. For completists and new fans alike, this Free Comic Book Day sampler with a short story from each of the brothers is a nice taste of what’s for decades made Gilbert and Jaime the revered Los Bros Hernandez.
August 24, 2018
A wonderful free comic featuring a single story from each of the Hernandez brothers. In publication since 1982, the character each brother has created and developed over the years are more real than the people you work with, some even than the people you live with. A wonderful introduction to the current cast on both sides.
October 23, 2017
This was just a small sample but it sparked my interest to find and read more of this comic.
July 20, 2018
Just a snippet of their work.
Not long enough to fully display low bros Hernandez ' awesomeness, but it was free, and it was a taste that left me wanting more.
Not long enough to fully display low bros Hernandez ' awesomeness, but it was free, and it was a taste that left me wanting more.
March 13, 2019
Uma história curta com as personagens clássicas da série "Love & Rockets" e mais uma com personagens novos. Bem interessante, mas confesso que curtia mais as histórias antigas.
Bateu saudade!
Bateu saudade!
May 15, 2016
Just wanted to preface this review by saying that I received this portion of the comic on Free Comic Book Day 2016 at Up, Up, and Away in Blue Ash, Ohio.
I think I need to just give up and accept the fact that I am not a Love and Rockets fan. I read Beyond Palomar for a class in college and found parts of it really interesting. Buuut, honestly, the plot is pretty much incomprehensible to me about half of the time and I actually find the art pretty repellent.
I was hoping that this free comic book day issue would be a good first step into attempting entry into the series again, since FCBD is meant to entice people into trying new franchises and series. But, this comic just reinforced my confusion with the series and I think I'm ready to give up. The plot required an awful lot of background knowledge to understand and, though they tried to cram in a character roster and plot explanation before each of the two stories, I just felt lost.
Love and Rockets is a powerhouse of a series and has about a bajillion fans, so there must be something to it that people are locking into and loving, but somehow I have managed to miss whatever that is. I think it's time to admit that this comic is Not for Me and just move on.
I think I need to just give up and accept the fact that I am not a Love and Rockets fan. I read Beyond Palomar for a class in college and found parts of it really interesting. Buuut, honestly, the plot is pretty much incomprehensible to me about half of the time and I actually find the art pretty repellent.
I was hoping that this free comic book day issue would be a good first step into attempting entry into the series again, since FCBD is meant to entice people into trying new franchises and series. But, this comic just reinforced my confusion with the series and I think I'm ready to give up. The plot required an awful lot of background knowledge to understand and, though they tried to cram in a character roster and plot explanation before each of the two stories, I just felt lost.
Love and Rockets is a powerhouse of a series and has about a bajillion fans, so there must be something to it that people are locking into and loving, but somehow I have managed to miss whatever that is. I think it's time to admit that this comic is Not for Me and just move on.
September 6, 2016
Absolutely fantastic sampler to this series. This book feels like a soap opera, but in story form. I just read the first story and I'm already hooked. I enjoy the characters, their interesting life scenarios, and outlooks on life. I am so glad that I found this sampler on Comixology.com for free or I would have never found out about this series. It's nice to try something different than the constant superhero comics that I read most of the time. Want a different type of comic reading experience? Are your open minded? If so, I definitely recommend this free book on Comixology.
September 6, 2016
This is a nice freebie but only has - understandably - short extracts from a couple of storylines from Beto & Jamie. These can only hint at the depth of the real thing but at least provide a tantalising glimpse of what awaits anyone who explores further.
May 8, 2016
this seems like a great comic full of complex characters, but the sampler just kind of skips over the top of them
May 8, 2016
The first story was okay, the second story was hard to follow. Not for me.
September 10, 2016
Just a little sampler, but I generally liked what I read by Jaime. Might look more into this stuff at a future date.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews