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Pivot
Shortstop player Luciana Herrera knows she is possibly on the world's worst softball team. She doesn't care, boarding school is busy. She does care about the fact that she has a huge crush on the second baseman, Ella Xie, and can barely talk to her. How are they supposed to stay in sync?
A slice of life love letter to softball.
Found here: https://potatofuzz.itch.io/pivot
A slice of life love letter to softball.
Found here: https://potatofuzz.itch.io/pivot
- GenresComics
90 pages, Paperback
Published June 10, 2018
12 people want to read
About the author
Jaime Dear
2 books9 followersJaime Dear is a Chicago based cartoonist. They love lemonade, gender based sci-fi, and descriptions of feasts and wilderness survival.
Follow me @DearDearJaime
Follow me @DearDearJaime
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 28, 2023
I wanted more!
June 21, 2018
If your looking for a comic to warm your heart and remind you of your first crush look no further. With every turn of the page you’ll be laughing and rooting for Luca and Ella. This queer love story is one to be cherished. The small touching moments and nerves accompanied by the positive atmosphere are relatable and will at the very least have you chuckling along with the girls. But it’s not just about the love story but the friendships that blossom and their genuine support of each other that is entangled throughout the the entire comic not just during the games.
The panels are gorgeous and packed with detail that add to the whole experience and portray the chaos that comes with organized teams quite accurately. I love the art and appreciate the author carrying the characters personalities through out, I feel like I was not just looking into a comic with two well developed mains but with a full set of characters who come to life and mingle in my mind.
The panels are gorgeous and packed with detail that add to the whole experience and portray the chaos that comes with organized teams quite accurately. I love the art and appreciate the author carrying the characters personalities through out, I feel like I was not just looking into a comic with two well developed mains but with a full set of characters who come to life and mingle in my mind.
August 20, 2024
In softball, second base and shortstop need to be in synch. Knowing who’s going after which ball, making sure the bases are covered, and preferably not running into each other. But shortstop Luciana Herrera and second base player Ella Xie are dealing with huge crushes on each other that they aren’t quite ready to admit, and that’s throwing their game off.
The two of them are in boarding school, and some sort of “sport” is mandatory, regardless of how athletic you may or may not be. It’s spring, so the girls are doing softball. They just might be the worst softball team in the area, but McKitterick Academy is primarily about academics with sports just to make sure the kids move around a little.
While the framework is sports, and there’s a bit of explaining how the game works, the focus is on the budding romance. The girls have to work up the courage to speak to each other, learn a little about each other outside the team, sit next to each other, and maybe even hold hands. It’s very sweet.
We at least get introduced to the other players, who have a variety of sizes and shapes (high school being a time of variable growth), and the team does slightly improve over time, even getting a couple of small triumphs.
The story is inspired by the artist’s own time playing softball, and her appreciation for the sport is obvious.
The art style is nice, and goes well with a slice of life story, with some innovative paneling. It’s pretty easy to tell the main characters apart. (Important in black and white comics where you can’t rely on colors to differentiate.)
Content note: There’s some mild bumps and bruises due to players colliding with each other. Some parents might be uncomfortable with a two-girl romance. (A bonus picture has them kissing.) But this is a mild young adult story–some middle schoolers might be able to handle the mushy stuff.
This is very much a small press item, so there are some rough edges, but it might be worth your while to encourage the creator. Recommended especially for “sporty” girls who enjoy a little action in their romance comics.
The two of them are in boarding school, and some sort of “sport” is mandatory, regardless of how athletic you may or may not be. It’s spring, so the girls are doing softball. They just might be the worst softball team in the area, but McKitterick Academy is primarily about academics with sports just to make sure the kids move around a little.
While the framework is sports, and there’s a bit of explaining how the game works, the focus is on the budding romance. The girls have to work up the courage to speak to each other, learn a little about each other outside the team, sit next to each other, and maybe even hold hands. It’s very sweet.
We at least get introduced to the other players, who have a variety of sizes and shapes (high school being a time of variable growth), and the team does slightly improve over time, even getting a couple of small triumphs.
The story is inspired by the artist’s own time playing softball, and her appreciation for the sport is obvious.
The art style is nice, and goes well with a slice of life story, with some innovative paneling. It’s pretty easy to tell the main characters apart. (Important in black and white comics where you can’t rely on colors to differentiate.)
Content note: There’s some mild bumps and bruises due to players colliding with each other. Some parents might be uncomfortable with a two-girl romance. (A bonus picture has them kissing.) But this is a mild young adult story–some middle schoolers might be able to handle the mushy stuff.
This is very much a small press item, so there are some rough edges, but it might be worth your while to encourage the creator. Recommended especially for “sporty” girls who enjoy a little action in their romance comics.
January 3, 2025
Pivot is so much fun! The core of the story is about the friendships formed between teen sports players, explored with a focus on the emerging romance between two players, Luca and Ella. It speaks to fond team sports memories that are so different from my personal school sports experiences- which makes it a funny read for me (who knew players on a team could get along...hahaha).
Dear's playful paneling carries you through the story. Pages are thoughtfully laid out to convey the action of playing a sport, the feelings of emotional moments, and to keep the pace moving along when explanations of softball concepts are needed. You can see that perhaps the author was inspired by sports manga- probably the best thing to be inspired by lol. I appreciate the moments when Dear gets creative with the speech bubbles, particularly panels where they overlap as the softball team yell over each other, or moments when a panel is just a speech bubble for dramatic effect. Additionally, the pencil texture used for the art's grey tones add so much to the vibe. It reminds me of sitting in a high school class and doodling on paper instead of paying attention...which is reinforced by Dear's inclusion of a scanned notebook page towards the end.
Full of cute, silly, and fun character acting. So many charming moments that make the characters feel real. Fills me with nostalgia for the kinds of unserious conversations and goofing off that defined my high school experience. And the romance...in high school romance feels so important, like a huge momentous step, and the tension Dear builds between Luca and Ella serves to evoke that.
Also, an under-appreciated aspect of book design: the author included a pattern for the interior covers! It's such a nice touch, really pulls the book together as a finished product.
Overall, a delightful read. All ages and perfect for those with a fondness for sports.
Dear's playful paneling carries you through the story. Pages are thoughtfully laid out to convey the action of playing a sport, the feelings of emotional moments, and to keep the pace moving along when explanations of softball concepts are needed. You can see that perhaps the author was inspired by sports manga- probably the best thing to be inspired by lol. I appreciate the moments when Dear gets creative with the speech bubbles, particularly panels where they overlap as the softball team yell over each other, or moments when a panel is just a speech bubble for dramatic effect. Additionally, the pencil texture used for the art's grey tones add so much to the vibe. It reminds me of sitting in a high school class and doodling on paper instead of paying attention...which is reinforced by Dear's inclusion of a scanned notebook page towards the end.
Full of cute, silly, and fun character acting. So many charming moments that make the characters feel real. Fills me with nostalgia for the kinds of unserious conversations and goofing off that defined my high school experience. And the romance...in high school romance feels so important, like a huge momentous step, and the tension Dear builds between Luca and Ella serves to evoke that.
Also, an under-appreciated aspect of book design: the author included a pattern for the interior covers! It's such a nice touch, really pulls the book together as a finished product.
Overall, a delightful read. All ages and perfect for those with a fondness for sports.
June 11, 2018
Great debut graphic novel. And a special treat for softball fans.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews