TITLE: Ten Years of Love and Rockets
YEAR: 1992
COMPANY: Fantagraphics Books
Art, Story, Lettering by Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez
From 1982-1992, the first ten years of the beloved “Love and Rockets” comic book series, in 1992, Fantagraphics Books released “Ten Years of Love and Rockets 1982-1992”.
Created by the Hernandez Brothers, primarily Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez (brother Mario Hernandez would contribute a few times), the comic book series would focus two different stories, one focusing on Gilbert’s “Palomar” series which featured a fictional Mexican village of Palomar and Jaime’s “LOCAS” series which focused on a group of Latino-American friends living in Hoppers.
Here we are in 2017 and “Love and Rockets” vol. 1 which featured 50 issues lasted through 1996, the brothers came back with a second volume in 2001-2007 with 20 more issues, from 2008-2016 with a total of eight issues (now in 100-page graphic novel-sized issues) and in 2016, a fourth volume was created with currently one issue being published so far.
And during their time when they weren’t working on “Love and Rockets” it gave the brothers the time to write other stories, some with a connection to “Love and Rockets” such as books from Gilbert featuring stories that play out like a film that stars the character of Fritz or focusing on a young Venus, who happens to be a daughter of Petra, Fritz’ sister. While Jaime would work on a superhero storyline featuring the Ti-Girls which would often incorporate LOCAS’ Maggie and more.
“Ten Years of Love and Rockets 1982-1992” is probably one of the coolest special issues to come out. For one, you get an index of releases, you get a little history on the creation of the series and then you get pages dedicated by Jaime Hernandez and Gilbert Hernandez titled “At the Drawing Board” on their approach to their artwork, the tools and pencils they use and more.
In addition, you get a few stories such as Luba’s daughter Guadalupe wanting to find out if the sky is neverending, Maggie and Hopey discussing the ten years of “Love and Rockets” even poking a joke of the band (who was inspired by the comic book series) using the series name.
There is a character guide, a “LOCAS” storyline with Maggie and Hopey discussing how broke they are or Maggie and Hopey going to an event, a short scrapbook and so much more.
Granted, while Jaime’s artwork is further explored in “The Art of Jaime Hernandez: The Secrets of Life and Death”, the fact that this special issue gave wonderful insight to the art of both Gilbert and Jaime at that time was fantastic. They really go into detail on their approach to their art.
Overall, if you are a “Love and Rockets” fan, you will want to seek this issue out because it’s not collected in any of the major “Love and Rockets” books.