Okay, just a quick post this time (which was what the last one was supposed to be, but I digress) to talk about a really great story. And I don't mean a great Spider-Girl story, nor do I mean just a great comic book story. This is a moving piece of literature worthy of an award.
The story is simple: Sandra has been consistently physically abused by her boyfriend for the past twenty-something issues. May has made efforts to do something about the matter, but has only made things worse. things come to a head when both Sandra and Courtney end up in hospital, severely beaten by Sandra's boyfriend, Howard. May tracks him down and very nearly kills him before realizing beating him is only continuing the cycle of violence. Moose, boyfriend of Courtney, on the other hand feels differently and lays into Howard until May talks him down.
I love this issue. It, even more so than the issues that built to it really helped highlight a serious issue and handled it with the care and gravity it deserves. I recommend anyone kind it and read it. The letters page is even more griping as Tom Defalco, the writer, tells readers to look it up online and be as horrified as he was. Abusive relationships amongst teens is a huge issue and one that is sorely overlooked. This story touched me in a very human way, and I have nothing but love and respect for the team who worked so diligently on it.
Everything about this issue is pitch perfect, from the opening scenes to the closing page. The colors, the word placement, the dialog, the pencils, the beautiful thick ink lines really do work in unison to paint the story. So thank you, Tom, Ron, Sal, 'Gotham', Deb and the then-freshly-minted editor Molly. You're heroes.
Until I manage a single-sentence blog, I remain
frogoat