Love Me - A Romance Story #1: Little Extraordinary Things
Reviewed by Seth Adrian Romo
Love Me: A Romance Story #1 is a masterful first issue. From its jubilant vibes to its imaginative art and colors, it’s clear this is the beginning of something special.
This story takes place sometime in the future in New York City as JoJo, a taxi driving robot and lover of good coffee and music, gets a passenger that changes his life forever.
The concept of robots falling in love is not exactly new to storytelling, but this series is a refreshing take and—combined with larger than life art—presents such a feel good experience. Combine the cozy story with sarcastic narration from JoJo’s cat, Frida, and from beginning to end it’s a great read.
Good stories are of course subjective, and comic book reviewers are tasked with remaining neutral in critiquing all aspects of monthly issues. In the case of Love Me: A Romance Story, the creative team has made reviewing easy as the story and art are infectiously fun and will likely compel readers to smile and have warm feelings within just the first few pages. (Mild spoilers: Arguably, the ending could be upsetting or the start of a grand love tale depending on one’s viewpoint. I prefer the latter.)
Writer Francesca Perillo has crafted a likable protagonist in JoJo and his consistent positivity as he goes about the polluted and chaotic New York City is perfectly paired juxtaposition. The script’s pacing and third act could be a standalone story on their own, but with this being part one of four, there’s a lot to be excited for in this series.
In addition to Perillo’s story, the art from Stefano Cardoselli brings the world to life with rough lines, elongated buildings, and tons of small details to notice. (This alone makes reading the first issue multiple times worth it.) Add Lorenzo Scaramella’s colors and just the visuals by themselves make the price of admission worth it. Buddy Beaudoin’s lettering also shapes this issue as the font style is fitting to this cozy story.
Final Verdict
There’s so much to appreciate in this series premiere as the story, world, and main character are captivating and will leave readers smiling and full of joy. This first issue will likely hook readers with its charm and dramatic and mysterious cliffhanger as Love Me: A Romance Story is not just about great storytelling, but one of the most unique experiences on stands.
| Criteria | Score |
|---|---|
| Writing | 10 |
| Story/Plot | 10 |
| Art/Line Work | 10 |
| Colors | 10 |
| Final Score | 10/10 |
Creative Team
writer: FRANCESCA PERILLO
artist: STEFANO CARDOSELLI
colorist: LORENZO SCARAMELLA
letterer: BUDDY BEAUDOIN
publisher: MAD CAVE COMICS