Our Love is Real #1

In a world where bestiality is normal and the dominant sexuality, the vegisexuals are rioting. In the middle of those riots, Officer Jok meets Brin. Brin is a mineralsexual. From thereon out, a what I think should be tragic love story ensues.

The Good:

• The setting: There’s something amazing about this book. Nothing is explained. We’re left to assume that this book is set in the near future, given the tech we see. But how did humanity end up having partners for life in dogs? Why? Nothing is explained in this book. We don’t even know where this is set or who our main protagonists are. But it works.
• The Speech: The different factions have very different ways of speaking, all what I presume to be sexualized. While the mineralsexuals appear very cold and distant, Jok and his dog-humping police officers frequently add what I can best describe as “Dog noises” to their sentence. And so, even without knowing anything about the people we’re reading about, we can tell them apart, we know who they are and they feel genuine.
• What the fuck: The book is… well, controversial in its subject matter is a bit of an understatement. We’re meant to believe that having sex with dogs is not only acceptable, but also the norm. And that’s just the beginning. Pair that up with a couple really nice twists – Brin’s identity, for example – and the concept of the book alone. Well, you get a book that’s mind-blowingly weird.
• Nice: It's a very nicely done book. The art is cool, the people in it look like their fetishes (zoophiles are hairy, mineralsexuals are clean-cut and as un-scruffy as they come) and the world feels alien while looking somewhat familiar.

The Bad:

• Fetish-fuel: This book was most likely meant to cater towards a crowd that has the desire to have sex with crystals. The only thing that put this on my radar was that is published by Image and that my friend Steve seemed rather fascinated by it. He often mentioned the words “What”, “the” and “fuck” in that order when talking about it. So I picked it up. It was weird.
• Porn Comic: You know porn comics, right? These 20-page-epics that are supposed to lead you to believe that whatever the plot is happens to be a totally realistic situation? Like, after a hard day of killing Sentinels, Wolverine comes home and finds Supergirl naked on his bed. “Our Love is Real” reads a lot like that. Only that we have no clue who’s who and all that.
• I can’t shake the feeling that Sam Humphries wants to be killed then made into a crystal. That’s odd. But then again, I have learned to live with Chris Claremont wanting to be dominated by strong women, Frank Miller’s obsession with whores, Kevin Smith and sexual deviance in general and Garth Ennis as both an author and a concept. So I guess I could get used to everyone ending up being rocks.

The Verdict: This is a tough one. If you’re into comics as a medium that frequently push boundaries and explore new subjects and scenarios while not being bound by budget, then this is something you might enjoy. You might also enjoy it if you’re looking for something that makes you scratch your head or if you want your mind completely blown. And of course, it’s a must-buy if your life’s dream is to have sex with a sentient rock. It’s a good book, as far as I can tell. I’m still confused about just about everything in it, even though it’s crystal clear and all spelled out.

However, if you’re sexually conservative, then this book is nothing for you. If you have issues with the concept of gay people, then you’ll hate this book with every fibre of your being. If you’re religious, then… no. Basically, be open-minded – as open-minded as you possibly can – and you’ll enjoy it.