Shirtlifter #3

Shirtlifter

by Steve MacIsaac

The third issue of this award-winning series collects the first three chapters of MacIsaac's online serial "Unpacking", about the development of a relationship between a committment-phobic graphic designer and a corporate executive who isn't quite everything he seems. This third volume also features contributions from Justin Hall (Hard to Swallow) and a new cartoonist named Fuzzbelly. Hall's contribution is an excerpt from his upcoming graphic novel "The Liar", while Fuzzbelly's is an autobiographical rumination on eroticism.

Genres: Graphic Novels Comics, Graphic Novels, LGBT

88 pages, Perfect Paperback

First published December 1, 2008

About the author

Steve MacIsaac is a Canadian cartoonist currently living in Long Beach. Perhaps best known for illustrating STICKY, his wordless collaboration with Dale Lazarov. In 2006 he has launched his series SHIRTLIFTER, featuring a variety of fictional and autobiographical comics about contemporary queer life.

MacIsaac's work has been featured in a variety of anthologies, including The Book of Boy Trouble, The Book of Boy Trouble 2, Best Erotic Comics 2008, Stripped, True Porn, and many others.


In addition to the print editions, Steve maintains a thrice-weekly webcomic version of SHIRTLIFTER over at the portal ModernTales. He uses the site as an opportunity to post new work-in-progress, as well as revised versions of older, out-of-print material.

Reviews

[ALLEN]

There is more than one cartoon in this book, but the real star is Matt, who headlines "Unpacking." Matt is a free but ambivalent bear who looks for love in his native Vancouver, where surprises await. A warning for the sex-phobic: this comic has some porny interludes, but on the whole is really a serial -- a kind of gay-bear soap opera. Author/artist Steve MacIsaac's artistic ability continues to improve. Very enjoyable.

[Sandy]

I read numbers 3-5 which make a complete story about a guy who has just broken up with his long-term partner. He meets a couple new people online, and forms a relationship with a man who is married (to a woman) and denies that he is gay. In subseqent volumes this plays out in an emotionally satisfying arc. Includes discussion of homophobia and cheating, and portrayals of queer community. I loved that the protagonist's business partner is a lesbian.

Also includes a couple of short pieces by various creators.

Contains explicit sex scenes.

Recommended!

[Gerald Sessions]

3 stories -Unpacking- 3 chapters long-term relationship ends, but not happily so boxes aren’t even unpacked yet and he’s shopping around for sex. Unsuccessfully finally found someone he likes and questions it because the guy is married. They finally have a talk that neither one of them want to be dating each other they can be friends, and have fun.
“FBuds” art and story by fuzz belly- the story is about leaving more stories about just normal guys not porn stars with massive appendages, and that was exactly what it was and it was kind of refreshing.

The liar (an excerpt) by Justin Hall the story starts off looks a young guy, leaving a friends house who had been living off of and the lies he told is he went, but it ends with him going back to his friends house and trashing the place

[Hung]

That was a big improvement over the second issue.

The main story (Unpacking) was told in 3 chapters with two other unrelated stories separate each chapter. The art is still in the same style but more professional. (Still not good at drawing women.) The scenes flow naturally. There were some well written dialogues.

The two guest artist stories were no slouch themselves. I loved the softer lines in F Buds and the drifter character in The Liar was excellent.

Highly recommended to gay comic readers.

[David Wickham]

4.5