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Off*Beat #3
Off*Beat 3
“…Off*Beat feels very much like a celebration of the natural, the endless wonder of the everyday people and things that are just right in front of us, and the epic gloriousness of the most naturally human thing of all—honest connection with other human beings.” -Melinda Beasi, Manga Bookshelf
Christopher “Tory” Blake’s awkward fixation on Colin Stephens has finally come to the fore in their relationship, with a punch to the jaw, no less! But while Colin is willing to talk some things out, he’s as cagey as ever when it comes to what matters most. And just when Tory thinks they’ve made a breakthrough, Colin disappears. Adrift and perhaps a little brokenhearted, Tory has to pull himself together to follow the few remaining clues to find Colin again…
At long last, this final volume from Chromatic Press features bonus material not available in the online serialization in Sparkler Monthly Magazine (sparklermonthly.com). The finale 10 years in the making!
Christopher “Tory” Blake’s awkward fixation on Colin Stephens has finally come to the fore in their relationship, with a punch to the jaw, no less! But while Colin is willing to talk some things out, he’s as cagey as ever when it comes to what matters most. And just when Tory thinks they’ve made a breakthrough, Colin disappears. Adrift and perhaps a little brokenhearted, Tory has to pull himself together to follow the few remaining clues to find Colin again…
At long last, this final volume from Chromatic Press features bonus material not available in the online serialization in Sparkler Monthly Magazine (sparklermonthly.com). The finale 10 years in the making!
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Want to Read
March 17, 2013I got shook by the story...
It's all good!!
It's all good!!
January 20, 2020
This volume begins immediately after the previous one, from the point where Colin hit Tory. The two of them finally sit down and talk about the things they've been hiding...for the most part. Colin talks about the Gaia Project and his involvement in it, and Tory no longer tries to hide the fact that he's been keeping tabs on Colin. The one thing they dance around, however, is their feelings for each other.
I didn't think I was going to get to read this volume. Physical copies are no longer available for purchase, and I don't like buying electronic manga or comics. I wasn't sure interlibrary loan was going to work out since the number of libraries that own this volume is in the single digits, but thankfully one of those libraries was willing to lend it to me.
I wasn't wild about the first two volumes, but I was interested enough in Tory and Colin's story to want to know how it ended. Folks who liked the first two volumes more than me should definitely try to read this last volume - it's the best one in the series and does a fairly good job of wrapping things up.
After two volumes of not even being sure what genre I was reading, it was nice to finally get some answers. I still think the overall pacing and clarity could have been better - I understand that the Gaia Project was a mysterious thing Tory could focus on and tell himself was the real reason he was interested in Colin, but readers got so little information in those first two volumes that it really did look like the Gaia Project might end up being more important than it actually turned out to be. Honestly, Colin's explanation of it sounded kind of silly - I still don't understand why he, in particular, had to be involved, and I agree with Tory that whatever Dr. Garretts (whose name was spelled with one t earlier in the series but is now spelled with two) was doing with him sounded illegal.
Tory and Colin's awkward attempts at recognizing and exploring their feelings for each other were sweet (and completely lacking in any sort of gay angst, even after other characters found out), and Tory demonstrated that he'd grown a lot since the first volume. His reaction to Colin's actions and later announcement was better than I'd expected. I braced myself for a bittersweet ending and was glad the series wrapped up on a happier note, but at the same time I felt a little let down. I'd have preferred it if the bonus story at the end had focused on Tory and Colin after the time jump, to provide a little more closure, rather than on Paul and his girlfriend.
Extras:
- A 5-page bonus story starring Paul and his girlfriend.
- A letter from the editor.
- A message from Jen Lee Quick.
- Four 4-panel bonus comics.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
I didn't think I was going to get to read this volume. Physical copies are no longer available for purchase, and I don't like buying electronic manga or comics. I wasn't sure interlibrary loan was going to work out since the number of libraries that own this volume is in the single digits, but thankfully one of those libraries was willing to lend it to me.
I wasn't wild about the first two volumes, but I was interested enough in Tory and Colin's story to want to know how it ended. Folks who liked the first two volumes more than me should definitely try to read this last volume - it's the best one in the series and does a fairly good job of wrapping things up.
After two volumes of not even being sure what genre I was reading, it was nice to finally get some answers. I still think the overall pacing and clarity could have been better - I understand that the Gaia Project was a mysterious thing Tory could focus on and tell himself was the real reason he was interested in Colin, but readers got so little information in those first two volumes that it really did look like the Gaia Project might end up being more important than it actually turned out to be. Honestly, Colin's explanation of it sounded kind of silly - I still don't understand why he, in particular, had to be involved, and I agree with Tory that whatever Dr. Garretts (whose name was spelled with one t earlier in the series but is now spelled with two) was doing with him sounded illegal.
Tory and Colin's awkward attempts at recognizing and exploring their feelings for each other were sweet (and completely lacking in any sort of gay angst, even after other characters found out), and Tory demonstrated that he'd grown a lot since the first volume. His reaction to Colin's actions and later announcement was better than I'd expected. I braced myself for a bittersweet ending and was glad the series wrapped up on a happier note, but at the same time I felt a little let down. I'd have preferred it if the bonus story at the end had focused on Tory and Colin after the time jump, to provide a little more closure, rather than on Paul and his girlfriend.
Extras:
- A 5-page bonus story starring Paul and his girlfriend.
- A letter from the editor.
- A message from Jen Lee Quick.
- Four 4-panel bonus comics.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
September 7, 2025
Despite this being the end of the series, there are still really no answers. I still can't tell you what the Gaia Project is, or how/why Collin is involved with it. I can't tell you why Collin's 'condition' exists or what it is.
As a conclusion, I felt this was incredibly weak. There needed to be more world building and information provided to the reader besides 'the Gaia Project is about noticing and matching frequencies, and Collin and Tory won't see each other until Tory finishes his doctorate.' As a reader, it's incredibly frustrating.
As a conclusion, I felt this was incredibly weak. There needed to be more world building and information provided to the reader besides 'the Gaia Project is about noticing and matching frequencies, and Collin and Tory won't see each other until Tory finishes his doctorate.' As a reader, it's incredibly frustrating.
October 30, 2017
A bittersweet story with a hopeful epilogue.
Not enough time focused on the romance. And the mystery surrounding Colin was never really explained.
Not enough time focused on the romance. And the mystery surrounding Colin was never really explained.
Read
September 17, 2019ten years later and i finally know how this story ends!! <3 the ending went in a different direction than i'd anticipated, but it was cute, quick, and compelling. my preteen self would be so happy omg.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews