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True Story, Swear to God #1
Chances Are
Life is about chances. What are the chances of going to a theme park, on the other side of the coast... and meeting a person who will change your life as you know it? What are the chances of this person living on the island of San Juan, Puerto Rico, some 9,000 miles from your home in Napa Valley, California? What are the chances of a long-distance relationship such as this lasting very long?
If you're California cartoonist Tom Beland and Puerto Rico journalist Lily Garc�a, well, those chances are pretty good. "Chances are.." combines the first four issues of Tom Beland's Eisner-nominated autobiographical series "True Story, Swear to God." A book that deals with the joys of meeting someone by chance and the heartache that comes with distance. It covers the humor, anxiety, annoyances and paranoia found in every relationship.
If you're California cartoonist Tom Beland and Puerto Rico journalist Lily Garc�a, well, those chances are pretty good. "Chances are.." combines the first four issues of Tom Beland's Eisner-nominated autobiographical series "True Story, Swear to God." A book that deals with the joys of meeting someone by chance and the heartache that comes with distance. It covers the humor, anxiety, annoyances and paranoia found in every relationship.
176 pages, Paperback
First published February 25, 2003
25 people want to read
About the author
Tom Beland
43 books14 followersI'm a 36 year-old cartoonist living and breathing on the island of San Juan, Puerto Rico. I was born in Chicago ILL. and was raised in Napa Valley, California. I graduated from Napa High School in 1980 (GO INDIANS!).
My career in cartoonist started at a very young age. My father, Clarence Beland , was a cartoonist in his spare time and all the boys in my family draw in one way or another. I was the one who became obsessed about it.
I'm a seft-taught artist, although I had some art class experience in high school and a bit in community college as well. I studied on the television and also in Marvel Comics. I was heavily influenced by artist such as Al Herschfield, Chuck Jones, Charles Shulz, John Romita Sr., Gil Kane and others.
Cartooning is an art that is seldom as respected as it is admired. Perharps that's due to it's visual simplicity. But simplicity is something developed out of style and not through laziness. I got my fisrt job at the Napa Valley Register in my early twenties. I was hired as a paste-up artist in the advertising department and soon moved over to the editorial side. There I became a photo technician and a page designer, while submitting cartoons on my own.
After a few years, I left the Register to go to the Vallejo Times-Herald in Vallejo, California just up the road. It was a dream job with a fantastic group of people to work with. I couldn't ask for anything more.
One day I received a press junket to cover the opening of the Animal Kingdom Park at Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida. I spent two days trying out everything and eating some great food.
And that's when I met her.
Lily García was from San Juan, and was also covering the Animal Kingdom opening when we met at a bus stop. We spent all night talking about family, work and life in general. When we parted, we exchanged phone numbers and email addresses and went our ways.
We talked to each other as often as possible and a year later I found myself on a plane and moving to the island to live with her.
Life's been good to me so far.
My career in cartoonist started at a very young age. My father, Clarence Beland , was a cartoonist in his spare time and all the boys in my family draw in one way or another. I was the one who became obsessed about it.
I'm a seft-taught artist, although I had some art class experience in high school and a bit in community college as well. I studied on the television and also in Marvel Comics. I was heavily influenced by artist such as Al Herschfield, Chuck Jones, Charles Shulz, John Romita Sr., Gil Kane and others.
Cartooning is an art that is seldom as respected as it is admired. Perharps that's due to it's visual simplicity. But simplicity is something developed out of style and not through laziness. I got my fisrt job at the Napa Valley Register in my early twenties. I was hired as a paste-up artist in the advertising department and soon moved over to the editorial side. There I became a photo technician and a page designer, while submitting cartoons on my own.
After a few years, I left the Register to go to the Vallejo Times-Herald in Vallejo, California just up the road. It was a dream job with a fantastic group of people to work with. I couldn't ask for anything more.
One day I received a press junket to cover the opening of the Animal Kingdom Park at Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida. I spent two days trying out everything and eating some great food.
And that's when I met her.
Lily García was from San Juan, and was also covering the Animal Kingdom opening when we met at a bus stop. We spent all night talking about family, work and life in general. When we parted, we exchanged phone numbers and email addresses and went our ways.
We talked to each other as often as possible and a year later I found myself on a plane and moving to the island to live with her.
Life's been good to me so far.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 17, 2017
A sweet story about how two people meet. A chance encounter. Hence the title.
It's great how we get to see things from the perspectives of both the guy and the girl as events unfold.
Regardless, I still hate Tom Beland's font choice.
It's great how we get to see things from the perspectives of both the guy and the girl as events unfold.
Regardless, I still hate Tom Beland's font choice.
May 9, 2023
It's very adorable. There's not much meat on the story, and any edges are sanded down nearly to the point that it stops being interesting. But it's light and fun, so it's all cool.
August 16, 2007
If this book wasn't autobiographical, I'd criticize it for being too unbelievable. A Napa Valley cartoonist and a Puerto Rican radio personality meet while they're on an assignment in Disney World. They start a long-distance relationship, hit a ton of comical bumps, and eventually get married.
It's the implausible situations that sets this book apart from other autobio romances. Let's face it - our love stories, despite how we see them, are usually pretty standard. Reading about Tom and Lilly is like reading a modern day Fairy Tale. They have nothing in common - language, culture, weather preferences - yet they found each other and made it work.
This first volume deals with their long-distance relationship.
It's the implausible situations that sets this book apart from other autobio romances. Let's face it - our love stories, despite how we see them, are usually pretty standard. Reading about Tom and Lilly is like reading a modern day Fairy Tale. They have nothing in common - language, culture, weather preferences - yet they found each other and made it work.
This first volume deals with their long-distance relationship.
January 18, 2015
OH man, this story is just soooooooo sweet and winning that I just couldn't help but love it. Look it's not epic deep work... or is it, traversing love and chasing happiness are epic... anyway it's not like you're reading about somebody getting cancer or a story about poverty but that's just peachy because we need all types of stories. And this is just the kind of REAL fairy tale kind of romance that fills you with "Awwww..." and hope that you to will meet your ever so special soul mate.
Some readers may find themselves getting irked at just how easily the story and characters melt their cold cold hearts.
Some readers may find themselves getting irked at just how easily the story and characters melt their cold cold hearts.
July 9, 2007
This is a very sweet and romantic story about a man and a woman falling in love, told from the man's perspective. I really liked it because the author is soooo in love and so romantic and so up front about that. In this society we are told that only women are romantics, that men aren't romantic or only do romantic things in order to please women, but this guy is so into this woman he is in love with. It's really beautifal, without being sappy. I like the way the drawings are very cartoon-ish. This is a great book!
June 23, 2010
So well done! A beautiful, hysterical story of two opposites meeting in a chance of fate, two completely different worlds colliding and finding love when it is least expected. I laughed out loud continuously, relating both to the male and female character. She's a feisty Puerto Rican woman and he's a scared artist. Who knew a graphic novel could be so amazing. Glad Beland shared his true story of love with the world. Through pictures and witty words, he defined fate. Bravo!
August 12, 2008
One of my favorite graphic novels. It's sweet, funny and romantic and proves that comic books aren't just folks in spandex running around hitting each other (not that I don't love them, too).
Beland chronicles the beginning stage of his romance with the woman, Lily, who soon becomes the most important person in his life.
Beland chronicles the beginning stage of his romance with the woman, Lily, who soon becomes the most important person in his life.
July 6, 2007
not horrible, a little dull. some moments of his character coming through but otherwise a bit flat.
February 26, 2010
A romantic comic, a rare thing, which is a good as any violence-fest
January 16, 2012
Tres cute
September 2, 2013
Enjoyed it a lot. Feels like I am the characters.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews