Strangers in Paradise #89 & #90 - Abstract Studio

I did it again somehow. But . . . I missed issue #89. I have no idea how I did that. So as I sat there looking at issue #90 at the top of my pile . . . . I had to do just that . . . . look at it. There's no way I could pick up this issue and read it before I read #89. It just wouldn't be right. But I so want to know how this series ends. It's sitting right there. I could read it, satisfy my current inner struggle, and then pick up #89 when I get a chance. But . . . I don't. Why? Because I feel invested in these characters . . . and while I do want to know how their story ends . . . I also want to feel it played out as they're feeling it. Yes . . . I know they're not real people. But with this book especially, when reading it, and thinking about how the story affect the characters, and how the characters affect the story . . . it's hard not to think of them, or the story, as real. Maybe that's just a little crazy of me. But . . . that's how much I get in to this story. How much I love these characters. And how magnificent of a job Terry Moore has done in putting us in to their lives. I know Terry Moore wrote this series. But, I'm willing to guess, that he's laid such a good foundation over the last few years, that the last few issues of this story pretty much wrote itself. You've all read writer's notes about how their original intentions for a story-arc were different than what they actually ended up with, because the characters wanted it to go in a different direction. And by that I mean . . . there's such a history set up and written down with a character . . . especially ones like these . . . that to write a story a certain way, you may have to force them to react a certain way. But . . then as you're writing it, you realize that's not how they would react. Just like real people, you can't force them to do anything. Then when you write the story more true to the character's character . . . it ends up completely different than from what you originally planned. I'm willing to bet that's how the final issues of this book were for Terry. I bet that following the characters, and their natural progression through the series of events that they were involved in . . . was more about him telling what would happen, or how it happened, rather than actually having to think about writing the story. What I'm really trying to say by all this is that Terry basically wrote a huge novel. A novel that spanned years. Literally! And in that time made us to come to love a cast of characters. We got to know them. We got to see them at their highs and their lows. And through the course of time, became invested in their lives. For that . . . I sincerely thank Terry Moore. You brought a great story in to our lives, and helped us live it vicariously through your characters. It's been a great ride. A great story. And I'm certain we're all sad to see them go. But . . . at the same time . . . thankful for what we did experience. Thank-You!

Strangers in Paradise #88 - Abstract Studio

Well this issue was a change of pace. A change because it didn't leave me all teary eyed like the last couple of issues. That doesn't mean that I didn't love it just as much. It just wasn't as emotional as the last few. Anyways, Katchoo has decided to explore the country, and try to find just the right place for David's ashes. She's not having a whole lot of luck. And she seems very lonely. Well, Francine has decided something too. She's decided that Katchoo is the love of her life, she's meant to be with her, and she's not going to let anything stop them from spending the rest of their lives together. Well nothing except . . . maybe . . . Katchoo. Casey has also decided to move on with her life. She feels like she deceived everyone, even though she did come to truly care for, and love all these people. So she's decided to move back to Chicago. But just as she's about to do so, Freddie shows up and ends up talking some sense in to her. Who knew he had it in him? Anyways, Francine finally catches up with Katchoo in Santa Fe, and she talks and has dinner with her. I don't think that Katchoo really grasps the whole idea about why and how Francine found her. And that she's there to declare her unconditional love to her. She's more caught up in her own moment. Or her moment with David. Or her moment with David's ashes. So when Francine makes a move on her, she thinks that she's just messing with her again. Which, on the last page, leaves Francine standing in the hallway of the hotel, stunned that she didn't get a better reaction from her. But, with 2 issues left to go. Anything could still happen. I love this book, and I still can't believe it's going away. I really hope that Terry has something else planned, because I would really hate for the world to miss out on his unique insight and talent. And for the last 100 or so issues, THANK YOU!!

Strangers in Paradise #87 - Abstract Studio

Wow!! This was a sad book. I actually had watery eyes through most of it. I know! It's just a book. But I've been with these characters for a long time. I don't want to say they're like family, but, they're like really close friends. I guess. Anyways, you know David died last issue. Well this issue wraps up the rest of his story. All his friends and classmates and everyone else is told what happened. And all the usual suspects are brought together for the reading of the will. Katchoo, Francine, Mary Beth and Casey are all there. Freddie's actually the executor of his will. Irony there, huh? Anyways, besides reading his will, David's composed a letter for each of them that Freddie has to also read. Besides being some of the saddest letters I've ever read, there are some revelations in them, especially Mary Beth's and Casey's, that Katchoo didn't know about. So now, besides being overwrought with sadness and despair, she's also feeling betrayed and very, very angry. I don't think he had any malicious intentions with what he wrote, I think he just wanted to be honest with everyone and get everything out in the open. Kind of like striking the pain, with a ball pean hammer and hot spiked nails, to get past it and let the healing begin. At least I think that's what his intentions were. But what he really hoped to accomplish was to bring Katchoo and Francine back together again. Although we don't find out this issue if that'll work or not. Only 3 issues to go. I am really going to miss this one. Terry Moore's stories, with these characters, are beyond explanation. They are just beautiful, and breathtaking and sheer perfection. I don't know what he's planning on doing after this, but I can't wait to find out.

Strangers in Paradise #86 - Abstract Studio

Wow!! What a powerful book! Casey and Katchoo are getting things ready to head to Germany, for David's treatments. He's in the bathroom shaving, when . . . . . BANG!!! He's out cold on the floor. Katchoo tries to perform CPR on him, while Casey calls 911. As the ambulance arrives, so to does Francine. She's finally got the courage to come over and talk to Katchoo, and this is what she walks in on. David's taken to the hospital. There's no dialogue after that. There's really doesn't need to be any. All the words are conveyed by the expressions of the characters. Even Tamby can't hide her feelings when she's called and told what's going on. I take that back, there is some conversation. But it's between David and, what I guess is, his spirit guide. She shows up to take him "home". Francine has stayed with Katchoo and Casey during this whole ordeal, to console and offer comfort to them. Of course Casey is the one in her lap most of the time. Katchoo tries to be the super-woman. Impervious to harm. But I think it's even more than she can take. As she's sitting next to his bed, with her head resting on his arm, she thinks she sees him look at her and wink. But then the nurse wakes her up to tell her that he's gone. The final four pages are all black. Thanks to www.milehighcomics.com for the assist with the cover. And thanks to Terry Moore for such a wonderful book, spectacular characters, and such a phenomenal series. I hope you're planning on doing something after this. You're a definite asset to the industry. Thank you!!!

Strangers in Paradise #85 - Abstract Studio

This is a fantastic book. I can't believe there's only 5 issues left. Where has the time gone? And there's still so much going on. Katchoo is trying to have David's baby. Why? Because David is dying and only has a few months to live. Also because Casey can't have a baby, so Katchoo has elected to be the one to do it. David has a brain tumor. He and Katchoo and Casey are getting ready to go to Germany to try some new experimental treatment on him. Francine is getting divorced. She's decided that she loves Katchoo and is going to try to get back into her life. But, Casey trys to head her off at the pass. Casey loves Katchoo, but more importantly, she doesn't want to see Francine hurt her again. Meanwhile, Francine finds out the Freddie has put pictures of her on the internet. Pictures that she's asked for him to return but he never has. So she takes matters into her own hands. Or . . . foot. Hard in the crotch! This book is fantastic. I can't think of any other book out there that makes you care for the characters as much as this book does. I feel like I'm watching a movie, rather than reading a book. There's always some scene in there where I get a little teary eyed. I will definitely miss these characters when they're gone.

Strangers in Paradise #83 & #84 - Abstact Studios

Ok, I got a little behind, so I read theses 2 together. Which is really a good thing, because Terry Moore always leaves you wanting more at the end of his book. So this time I got to move right into the second one, but I still wanted more at the end of it. I can't say enough about this book. Everything about it is fantastic. The story, the characters, the character developement, the various plots, the various plot twists, the different styles that he uses to get his stories across, they are all genius. I got into this book at about the middle of the second series. I always though it was a "chick" book, so I didn't bother. But I had also heard from a lot of people how much they liked it. So I thought, what the heck, and tried it out. I then proceeded to go through a lot of comic bins looking for all the back issues, and haven't stopped bying it since. Now there's only 6 issues left. That sucks!! But, I can't wait to read the stories in between. I'll really miss these characters when they're gone. But, the road to that ending, is still going to be good. Quick recap: Francine finds out her husband, Brad, is having an affair. Tambi, with help from Cherry & Annie, is off to try to save David. She's going to enlist the help of a Neurosurgeon in Germany, and they are going to look for David's sister in Japan. Katchoo and Casey decide that they both love David equally, and that the best thing they could do for him is to have his child. Casey can't, so it's up to Katchoo. So now, for his final days, they're going to be a threesome. Poor David. Brad's brother Griffin is shot and killed on stage while performing. So, even though she doesn't love Brad anymore, Francine has to go with him and Griffin's wife Nikki to the funeral and to spread his ashes. While talking to Nikki, Francine has the epifany that she still loves Katchoo. Suprised? Katchoo pulls all of her money, or her Darcy money, out of her Swiss account and enjoy life with David and Casey. Tambi gets the ball rolling with the German doctor. While Cherry and Annie do indeed find David's sister. And we get to see a glimpse of Griffin as he comes "home". Fantastic!!!! I love this book and I love these characters.

Strangers in Paradise #82 - Abstract Studio

Strangers has in my opinion, been consistently one of the best produced books out there. Terry Moore is awesome. His writing is great. His stories flow from frame to frame and book to book with an effortless ease. Whether its 4 or 6 wks between books, a page and a half into the book and I'm right back in the story. Now his artwork isn't the painted kind like Adam Hughes or Alex Ross, but in the context of the story it is perfect. Who cares if its black & white? And, for the same price as the big companies, it's adless. Who'd of thunk it? Cut out the ads, give us 3 or 4 pages of letter columns, and original artwork on the inside & outside of both the front and back cover. Is anybody in the other companies paying attention to this? The only downfall, there's only 8 more issues until he wraps up the series. Boo Hoo!!! These characters are great. They all have their own unique personality, and you really find yourself caring for them. There's been a little over 100 issues in 3 different volumes. I came in to it kind of late. I started at the beginning of the 3 volume with not having read anything of the first 2. I was instantly hooked. I soon began to get all the books I missed in the first 2 storylines. This is just a great series. Some times the stories are sad, sometimes they're not. But, like I said, you always find yourself caring for what's going on. And he always, without fail, leaves you hanging on the last page. He always leaves you wanting more. If you've never checked it out, you should. You can get all the stories in trade paperbacks, if you don't want to go searching through comic bins. This is a book that I am always glad I bought.