Strangers in Paradise

So, all right. I've been away for a while, as we all know. (Hey, at least I completed season 2!) And I've had many adventures, most of them work-based. My job right now is incredible. It takes up nearly all of my time, but it is a fun job that means a lot to me. With that said, I'm trying to figure out how to free up more time.

Before I segue into Xena: Season 3, let's rap a bit...You see, recently, I read a comic book series from start to end for the first time in my life.

The Beginning

Ever since I was little, I've read Archie comics. At the grocery store, I would beg my mother to buy me an Archie Double Digest during checkout. She never turned me down. Maybe it was because Archie was so wholesome, or maybe because she knew Rex W. Lindsey, whose name would often adorn the cover. He and my brother were friends growing up in Colorado Springs. Whenever I would see one of "his" Archie comics, I bought it, thrilled all the more that I indirectly knew someone involved with something so dear to my heart.

L to R: Archie, Veronica, and Betty

My parents remained friends with the Lindseys over the years, and I actually got to visit their home once during a family trip to Colorado when I was 16 or 17. Rex was away at the time, but his parents were happy to show me his office, which was covered with Archie paraphernalia. (It was heaven on Earth.) To my delight, they even gave me an Archie pin that he'd signed. 

Archie, Betty, Veronica, and the gang pleased me more than I can say, and the feeling never wained; I'll still pick up an Archie comic to this day. (Why, I just purchased one on Friday! It's in my purse.) I'll whip it out on the train, and laugh out loud at it during my commute. They're funny!

Anyway, something similar has just happened. 

Lately

Around the holidays, out of curiosity, I conducted an internet search for comics featuring lesbian characters. Some chick took the time in her blog (I can't find it right now, but I will) to list about 8 to 10 mainstream comics featuring such characters. One was Strangers in Paradise.

I immediately honed in on that series, because I loved the way the characters looked. Also it was sort of pitched as a comic that caters to those who don't really read comic books. Now, I already love comic books and graphic novels, but if people who don't like comics like this comic book, it's gotta be good.

And so, like I do with everything I care about, I prepped properly for the reading of SiP. First, I learned everything about the series, but avoided reading anything about the plot.  Then I bought the entire run of volume 2 and 3 issues from eBay - about 104 comic books. (There are three volumes, spanning from 1993 to 2007.) This purchase happened before I really knew what I was doing. The issues were all in near mint condition with bags and boards (look it up) and everything. Before they even arrived, I determined that I couldn't fucking read them, because they are worth more unread. (Collecting comic books is an investment.) These issues were pristine, so manhandling was out.

To get around this problem, I decided to purchase the first five collected volumes in paperback from eBay and Amazon. (There are 19 collected books total.) The only downside to the paperbacks is that the issue covers are represented only in black and white. To circumvent that, I figured I could simply pull out the actual issue I was preserving, look at the cover art in color, and then continue reading the paperback - BOOM, what a plan! God, I'm smart.

As fate would have it, everything made it to my house quickly, except for the very first collected volume. That, for some reason, took about a month to make it to me. I, uh, could not wait that long, SO. I downloaded the comic book app, Comix by Comixology, to my iPad and bought the first collected digital volume, which was more than affordable. I waited for the weekend, poured myself some wine, and started to read.

The Result

The quality of the comic on my iPad was so amazing, that I ended up reading the entire series on it, which cost me $191.84 (including tax). It took me about three weeks. With this purchase, you get every cover of the comic in color, the handy ability to zoom into detail, a sharp backlit image, and the privilege to download the volumes to any device repeatedly (which I did).

I mean, I read the shit out of Strangers in Paradise. I read the whole series straight through, twice! And then a third time out of order. My friends were well aware of how entranced I was by the story. It was so good, it fucked up my life. I would stay up very, very late on work nights, reading. I barely slept, and then while I was awake, I thought about the main characters constantly. It got to the point where I had to finish the book before anything else, so that I could function normally again.

An Epiphany

I love comic books. I love SiP. I never even realized I could.

It isn't just a story, it's not just art, it's BOTH. It's like...like...it's like being double-teamed, really. It's drawn and told so well, that it actually feels real. It haunts me still. Now, THAT is a good comic book.

I imagine that my falling in love with a comic book is what it's like when a person realizes they're gay. I'm sure it was like that. Like when a woman always thought herself straight, then one day stops and asks herself, "My god, do I love her? I think I'm in love with her. I can't believe this, I do, I love her. I'm in love with a woman..." I'm in love with a comic book.

Coincidentally

This year, 2013, marks Strangers in Paradise's 20th anniversary. In celebration, there is a...huge collected paperback volume being released, an omnibus of the entire series that won't break the piggy bank. I bought it without hesitation, even though I already own the series in two different formats. I'm linking it here, because it would behoove you to read it. It's an incredible piece of literature, and I can not believe I lived half my life alongside this thing without ever knowing about it until now. There won't be many copies made, and this will be the cheapest, highest quality of the whole series available (only $100 for the entire run.) The hardcover omnibus sold out immediately; if you happen to find one of those, you'll see that it resells for hundreds of dollars.

(Also coincidentally - and I swear to God, I didn't know this beforehand - there's an entire SiP issue dedicated to Xena! It's adorable; you have to check it out. Volume 3, Issue 16.) 

Summary

Get Strangers in Paradise. You will love it, and it will probably change your life.