Love and Rockets: New Stories #1

Love and Rockets

by Jaime Hernández, Mario Hernández, Gilbert Hernández

A collection of new stories from the alternative comic series created by three Mexican-American brothers from Southern California. It was the first comic series to give a voice to minorities and women in the medium's then 50-year history. This collection features all-new stories.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Comix, Sequential Art, Fantasy

112 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2008

About the author

Jaime and his brother Gilbert Hernández mostly publish their separate storylines together in Love And Rockets and are often referred to as 'Los Bros Hernandez'.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

I realised a couple things after reading just a few pages of this book: 1) I’d read the first story before in Jaime Hernandez’s God and Science: Return of the Ti-Girls book, and 2) of all the Hernandez brothers, Gilbert is the only one whose stories I really enjoy. Jaime’s art is fine but his writing and Mario’s are beyond boring. God and Science? I gave up on that one after just 6 pages! In fact, I don’t think I’ve finished a single Jaime book and only got through ones with his name on because of his Gilbert’s work tacked on.

I powered through Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 as I paid for a copy (it was on sale for peanuts) and wanted to get my money’s worth. Jaime’s Ti-Girls story, that’s been chopped up and takes up about half the book, is a generic superhero story starring older, heavier women than the usual stock female superheroes. That’s about all I’ll say it does differently, otherwise it’s your average superhero story. Villain threatens Earth, heroes fight villain, world is saved. It’s honestly that rote, except Jaime writes it like an older-style superhero comic so there’s lots and lots of badly written caption boxes to torture the reader with.

After 26 excruciatingly dull pages we get to the first of Gilbert’s comics and it’s a simple one-pager of Sunday paper funnies but it’s instantly more entertaining than the preceding chapter of crap. Then we’re onto a short story by Gilbert and immediately I recognised it as part of Julio’s Day, Gilbert’s wonderful book from a couple years ago. It’s a fine comic but I’ve already read it so it was disappointing to see it here instead of something different (later on another section from Julio’s Day crops up).

To be totally fair to Jaime, Gilbert’s other offerings aren’t much better either. The space story of two crooners was stupid, and his kangaroo gambler/penis story was such a throwaway, I’m not sure why it was even printed except for filling up space. Mario Hernandez’s satirical story of native Americans was much too overwritten and uninteresting, while Gilbert’s final offering was simply nonsense. The book closes out with yet another part of the maddeningly tedious Ti-Girls story from Jaime.

What a let-down! I usually turn to the Hernandez brothers - well, Gilbert at least - for some quality comics and Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 was unfortunately anything but! The Julio’s Day sections were good but I’d already read them. The rest? I wish I hadn’t bothered.

Dammit, I bought three other L&R: New Stories books in the sale at the same time! Here’s hoping they’re better than this inauspicious first volume…

[Nicolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time reading any if the graphic novels by the Hernandez brothers and I'm just blown away by it.

Especially the super-heroic tale Ti-Girls Adventures that bookends this first volume. I have not read a super-hero story that has all women as main characters but Jaime Hernandez makes it look easy. His art has a Silver Age sensibility to have both equal servings of action and storytelling. Not a dull moment to be had in this graphic novel.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ti-Girls have forever changed my view of the super hero. You don't have to be young, beautiful, or super svelte to kick bad guys' asses! I'm there, baby! If I can just remember where I put those tights...

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one features some of the Hernandez brothers shorter works from their indy hit Love And Rockets comic. It's an odder than usual mish mash but still featuring all that nuanced silver age Kirby-esque, Ditko-esque, whoever-esque crazy pencils.
If this stuff had really graced the funny pages though I guess there would have been a few more deaths attributed to choking on Rice Crispies at the breakfast table (other tasty breakfast cereals are available). The most accessible material here though is the two part Ti-Girls Adventures Number 34 by Jaime Hernandez. It's a wacky silver age style romp, though far funnier than its influences. What happens if you're a comic loving girl geek spending all your days obsessing about silver age comics and all girl super groups? Obviously you get a shot at being the side-kick for one of the more maverick female super heroes. Every girl-wonder has to get her boots on the super-ladder somehow. Some powers would be nice but if not then a skimpy costume and a dodgy little domino mask will have to do. Before you jump to the wrong conclusion and think 'so that's what Maggie is up to now' I'll have to break it to you that this one only has a short 'Maggie' cameo and focuses on her girlfriend Angel.
Not as consistent as some of their other longer stuff but worth a look.

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

More Los Bros Hernández work, with Jaime Hernández's superhero Penny Century universe and some magical real shorts by Gilbert Hernández and Mario Hernández. These amazing Mexican-American brothers who given a voice to minorities and women for so many decades continue to expand their collaboratively created universes. 7 out of 12, makes this the weakest collection yet.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

For being a self-professed fan of the alt-graphic novel, I have just recently entered the world that is The Hernandez Brothers’ Love and Rockets. If you would like to boo and throw tomatoes at me, I’d understand. But, having taken the tour, this newbie says that it’s a pretty nifty realm. Jaime’s “Ti-Girls Adventures Part One: The Search for Penny Century” and “Part Two: Penny is Found” is the featured story to open and close Vol. 1, which is an interesting and unique take on the superhero genre, and is by far the best of the collection. This is my opinion because it’s not often that you have a whole slue of superheroes that are all women, with the starring group including: the young and voluptuous, the multi-divorcee, an African-American wearing her great-great-grandmother’s mask that was used to fight the KKK’s, and an elderly retiree. Like I said before, I do have an affection for alt-graphic novels, and I may have just started reading the Hernandez Brothers’ work, but I can safely assume that there aren’t a lot of superhero comics with an eclectic cast of characters such as these. This is some serious Girl Power … or Older Women Power! Not to mention, he’s come up with an appealing and fresh back-story that sets the stage for the current day clusterfuck that unites the band of badass chicks back together. It’s highly entertaining, and if I had it my way, I’d be paying to see this on the big screen over this other superhero movie (...The Avengers...) set to release soon that has a handful of dude’s merging together for some apparent reason (probably to fight some kind of evil) --but based solely on the trailer, I wouldn’t know what exactly. The gobbledygook just wants to explode my poor, poor head.

The other stories found within Love and Rockets, Vol. 1 are by the other Hernandez Brother, Gilbert. His, I would consider to be sketches or vignettes, unrelated to the featured story, and much more obscure, and at times, experimental. It was hard to get a good grasp on any of these, and they earn a solid shoulder-shrug from me. However, I did find “The New Adventures of Duke and Sammy” to be some cool, sci-fi nonsense. Nothing more, nothing less.

Okay, Hernandez Brothers … I’m intrigued. I will now snatch up your work. (It has already happened because of your Boob-licious, Vampire-lady Vol. 4 cover. Couldn’t resist. Thanks!)

[Ma'Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this standing alone in the library's graphic novel section and knew I'd heard good things about Love and Rockets. It's marked "no. 1" so I assumed it'd be a good way to start at the beginning.

Didn't matter that it ended up being not at the beginning at all. Every Hernandez Brothers story in this collection is fantastic and has compelled me to go back and read the original series, epic as it may be.

Altogether, this turned out to be one of the most socially conscious, insightful comics/graphic novels I've ever come across.

Even the art and design in the advertisements is good, so you don't feel like there's an inch of wasted space from cover to cover!
*******************************
2nd read, years later:

I recently started collecting Love & Rockets, and this was the first volume I re-read and proposed to my monthly comics reading group. I was a bit bummed that it didn't explore some of my favourite characters more, and there's not really any of the '80s Chican@ punk community stories that I recall from other collections. Still though, the Penny Century/Ti-Girls/Fenomenons stories were great, as were the shorter, more random-feeling chapters.

I don't think this will end up being one of my favourite volumes of L&R, but it's as good as any a place to jump in, as long as you don't stop after reading just this book. Their work is all over the place, so if you haven't already, try reading various collections, regardless of where they might fall chronologically.

[Andrew Horton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what happened here. Jaime and Beto have recently been doing the best work of their careers (Jaime's mature and nuanced Locas stories and his "Maggie" extended story, and Beto's recent New Tales of Old Palomar), but this issue - the first of L&R's new yearly, chunky format - is a major regression for both of the primary brothers. Jaime's story returns to the early sci-fi days of the Locas stories, but Maggie's in about two panels, Hopey none, and everything centers on Angel, Maggie's girlfriend from volume 2. The story is a nonsensical superhero yarn that feels more like something Mario would poop out. Beto similarly bunts with a few impressionistic pieces that hint at Palomar but ultimately go nowhere. It's a sad state of affairs when Mario's contributions to the issue are the strongest!

The worst part is that this new, yearly format means we'll have to wait until this time next year for issue 2.

[Trin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I remember trying to read Love and Rockets in the early 2000s; I didn't get it then and I don't get it now. A lot of it just seems like an excuse to draw tits. Which is bizarre as I so often see this described as a classic feminist project (written and drawn by three men). Could be I just picked up the one "off" volume, but...

[Hilary "Fox" · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories were not amazing, but they were extremely fun. The artwork is fast and loose, and the humor is extremely tongue in cheek. These reminded me of earlier comics, and adhere to a lot of the Golden and Silver age conventions.

Also, can I just say I quite enjoy the idea of a super hero team made up of all the characters the other teams wouldn't accept?

[Philip · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't see what all the fuss is about - but perhaps I started with the wrong one.

[Lena Tumasyan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art is kinda cool - lots of REALLY curvy girls. But the stories are loopy - hard to follow. Some of it amused me because it was pretty rediculous.

[Thurston Hunger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Used to read stories sporadically, never close to proper immersion. Saw my library had volumes 1-3 of the "New"stories (yeah almost as old as my kids, so not thaaat new). Actually one of my sons decided to get the online subscription after we tried to figure out where to start and all that, he's happy to read stuff online. Me not so much, so having these in hand was worth a whole lot of birds in the interwebs.

The first collection has some superhero Penny (which was nice since I was more about the Maggie/Hopey punk rock mechanic scene). Plenty of flat-out weirdo warped sci fi from Beto too, one which was weird (and wordless) enough that he just called it "?"

There's also a page of "Funny Papers" one-off strips from newspapers you never saw and never will. But of a mish-mash in this volume, I actually liked the friends of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis spoof the best. Mmmmm, pastrami.

[Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well I finally got around to reading the first volume of Love and Rocket: New Stories and I gotta say it was a bit underwhelming. I always liked how in the past Jaime would mix up sci-fi and superhero type stuff w/real world drama but in this volume at least he sticks w/mostly a superhero type story and it drags big time. The art is top-notch as is always w/Jaime but the story is pretty blah. Then there's Beto's contributions which much like the recent (to me) story I read in Mome #19 are pretty stupid to be blunt. I think he starts again on more Palomar type stories but this first entry in round two of Love and Rockets was big fizzle.

[Vít Kotačka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Locas. So, I tried those New Stories and I have mixed feelings.

This volume consists from short stories from all three Hernández brothers. I have to say that I really enjoyed the part from Jaime: the story how Penny Century has obtained long desired super-powers. That one was as good as the good old Locas.

The stuff from Gilbert was just complementary to me. Not bad, but I would rather spend my money on something else. So, I'm in doubts - to buy, or not to buy the next volume?

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I requested this on accident (I was looking for the new Love and Capes Vol. 1: Do You Want To Know A Secret?) but figured I would give it a try. This is not for me. There are two stories that are part of an ongoing series, but this isn't an easy place for the reader to jump in. There were a number of other pieces, none of which were my style.

[Andie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and character-driven superhero comic that stands out in a world saturated with the MCU. It feels like fresh air, it's invigorating to read comics that would pass the Bechdel test and show that much body diversity. The storylines and the universe were fantastic.

Unfortunately, the short stories were uneven to me, some of them were amazing, and eerie in a fascinating way, but I just wish some of them would have been left out and that I had more of the main story... I'm just being grumpy here. Truly loved this book otherwise.

[Samantha Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was the first Love and Rockets because it said Love and Rockets #1 on it. Ugh! I really liked the Ti-Girls and im such a sucker for how Jaime Hernandez draws anything but especially women. Gorg poses and really fun designs with cartoony faces pushed as far as they can go while still feeling grounded. Very ranma-esque expressions. The rest I was kind of whatever even if they were good. I just felt like i was missing out on 20 years of other comics. Wish I could read L+R in the order it was printed but for some reason that’s only available if you buy the expensive box set. Cmonnn

[Chelsea Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main stories here are not with the main Love and Rockets characters, which surprised me in the first "new stories" edition (since I've read a lot of the others already). Anyhow the main stories here are superhero team stories including Maggie's roommate Angel and their neighbor Alarma, as well as Penny Century. The Beto story I've read elsewhere, and liked, about psychedelic, fatal burrito worms, is also in here, as well as the one-pager Victory Dance.

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quality weirdness from Los Bros Hernandez - haven't read any L&R for years, since before I started on Goodreads, and now can't remember why that is. Good characters, mind-bending stories with roots in pop & Latin culture, suspiciously clean draftsmanship. Will look for future "New Stories" collections.

[Rin Hubbard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was first introduced to Love and Rockets through the free comic book day sample a few years ago. I finally decided to check this out from my library. I absolutely ate this up. Its exactly what I'm looking for in a comic book. I can't wait to go back and start with the original run of Love and Rockets.

[Mickey Bits · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully weird and, well, weird. Some of the stories are uniquely original, cerebral and funny. Some of them are a little tedious - I'm talking about the girl-super-her0 one. Maybe it makes references I just don't get. But the other ones are so weird and interesting, it makes up for any slow pacing. Fans with a nostalgia for 80s indie comix will love these.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure about this so far. I loved Gilbert's "Victory Dance", but most of his strips seemed a fair bit lower quality than that one. Jaime's Ti-Girls was by far my favourite of the collection, very creative and sentimental .

[Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the spark is missing from this one. The Penny Century story redeems things somewhat but seems like an odd pisstake on superhero tropes. It's likely this will grow on me more once I read the following volumes.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somehow this popped up on my radar so I took a trip back in time to check it out. I enjoyed the Maggie / superhero stuff. But the other B&W comics between those chapters (stories?) were just completely baffling to me. I didn't get it.

[Giulia Goldston · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, strange set of short pieces. Nicely drawn and thought. Great stuff, but not my cup of tea.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ti-Girls was enjoyable. Some of the comics in the middle of this collection were too abstract for me to understand or enjoy.

[Daniel Watkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Distinctive, weird, and mostly interesting.

[Jeff Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, odd, but not too far away.

[Debra]

DNF. Barely got a few pages in. I was excited for this comic based on the description, but the story was not compelling in any way.