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School Spirit Kate Leth W R I T E R Arielle Jov Jovellanos ellanos A R T I S T Amanda Scurti C O L O R I S T Ensley Chau and Clare DeZutti Taylor Esposito L E T T E R E R
COLOR ASSIST
ruined
Sarah Vaughn W R I T E R Sarah Winifred Searle A R T I S T Ryan Ferrier L E T T E R E R Joanne Renaud H I S T O R I C A L C O N S U L T A N T
The Ru RuB By Eq Equa uati tion on Sarah Kuhn W R I T E R Sally Jane Thompson A R T I S T Savanna Sav anna Ganucheau C O L O R I S T Steve Wands L E T T E R E R Kevin Wada C O V E R Erin Scott D E S I G N Janelle Asselin P U B L I S H E R
& EDITOR
The creators featured in this issue of Fresh Romance own the copyrights in their stories. Rosy Press owns the copyright in this issue of Fresh Romance, published in May 2015.
School Spirit Kate Leth W R I T E R Arielle Jov Jovellanos ellanos A R T I S T Amanda Scurti C O L O R I S T Ensley Chau and Clare DeZutti Taylor Esposito L E T T E R E R
COLOR ASSIST
ruined
Sarah Vaughn W R I T E R Sarah Winifred Searle A R T I S T Ryan Ferrier L E T T E R E R Joanne Renaud H I S T O R I C A L C O N S U L T A N T
The Ru RuB By Eq Equa uati tion on Sarah Kuhn W R I T E R Sally Jane Thompson A R T I S T Savanna Sav anna Ganucheau C O L O R I S T Steve Wands L E T T E R E R Kevin Wada C O V E R Erin Scott D E S I G N Janelle Asselin P U B L I S H E R
& EDITOR
The creators featured in this issue of Fresh Romance own the copyrights in their stories. Rosy Press owns the copyright in this issue of Fresh Romance, published in May 2015.
Letter from the Editor Welcome to the inaugural issue o Fresh Romance magazine! What you hold on your computer computer/tablet/what /tablet/what-have-you -have-you is the culmination o a lot o hard work and dreaming, and I hope you enjoy the inished product! I irst started thinking o starting my own comics company years ago, but the act o launching Rosy Press and announcing our irst project as Fresh Romance was one o the most nerve-wracking things I’ve ever done. We were immeasurably grateul to get a ton o support or our Kickstarter campaign, which is ultimately why the comics magazine you have beore you was possible. Those backers, they are pretty great. I you weren’t a Kickstarter backer, well, you are also pretty great or taking a chance on this magazine too. Thanks, all. Romance comics comics have been ew and ar between or way too long. There’s something special about an entertaining romance story, and the visual nature o comics offer even more un and sexiness than words alone. Plus, we have so very many talented creators creators on board - it’s sort o unbelievable the level o awesomeness they bring. It’s my hope that there’s something in the pages o Fresh Romance or everyone, and i you have something speciic you want to see, let us know on Twitter or Facebook! We’d love to hear rom you. Bear with me or a moment as I thank some o the particular people in my lie who have helped make this happen through their support and kindness to me over the years, in no particular order: Sarah Jaffe, Emily Zimmer, Troy Brownield, Mike Marts, Sarah Gaydos, Jeremy Haun, Kate Durré, Liz Marsham, Michael Siglain, David Macho, Patti Kennedy, Scott Wilson, Ali Colluccio, Rachael Berkey, my amily, my cats, anyone I orgot, and o course, my wonderul, patient, eternally realistic husband Paul Moore. I would not be who and where I am today without all o you, and, more importantly or the readers o this magazine, it would not exist without the support you’ve given me. Anyways, enough o that, right? I hope you all enjoy the irst issue and stay tuned to see what else we have lined up. <3 Janelle
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When Kevin Wada sent over his sketches for our issue 1 cover, he offered this commentary:
Sketch 1 is more a typical romance cover-y. Little explana tion needed there. Sketch 2 I had in my head from the beginning of this assignment. It’s more modern, more “young love”-like. It ended up coming out a bit more... provocative(?) than I wanted it to. I wanted them dancing together to feel more intimate and cute, and maybe it’s just me, but because we live in a society that loves to objectify female partnership for the male gaze, I think the gestures in the sketch might be heading in that direction a little too much. I personally still really love this concept (I’d put the suggestion of discotheque lights in the background) so if we went with this one, I’d change the posing a bit to give it more of that “in love” vibe over “I’m horny” vibe. The vote for Sketch 1 was unanimous amongst all involved, as Kate, Arielle, and Janelle all felt it had the right tone and classic romance style for our first cover!
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THE DIVORCÉ(E) CLUB love advice from people who’ve been there
Every month, The Divorcé(e) Club will answer your love and romance questions. Everyone in the Club has been through multiple relationships, both successful and unsuccessful, and a variety of dating scenarios. We’re here to offer our expertise gleaned from these romantic encounters so that you can learn from our lived experiences! If you need advice, you can email us at
[email protected]. Without further ado, here are this month’s questions! 11111 Hello, heart helpers! I would love your advice on what to do with the fact I am in love with a friend who does not seem to love me back. (Not YET, at least! Which is genuinely how I feel, and also part of the problem.) I’ve been in love with this friend for 13 years. We tried dating once about ten years ago, but I ended things because I was too afraid we would ruin our friendship. However, my romantic feelings for him remained...even despite my moving on to enjoy serious relationships with other people. Finally, in December of 2013 I wrote him an email confessing my feelings, but also that I had no expectation of reciprocation -- I simply needed to put it out there so I could move on. (Though, obviously, I really really really hoped he felt the same way.) Welp, he clearly does not. I did not hear from him until April 2014 -- 5 months later! He called, apologized, we laughed, then we talked about the other women he has feelings for; one very very very recent ex and his rebound hookup. (Yes, I know: $%*&!?*&%^.) We’ve hung out several times since and we’ve had more heart-to-hearts than ever, but I can’t stop wondering if there’s a chance he might want to be with me too someday. I definitely thought that putting my feelings out there and being rejected would help me move on and just focus on being friends, but instead I feel like the female version of Lloyd “so you’re saying there’s a chance...” Christmas. So, do I need to stop hanging out with him, even though I really, really enjoy and treasure our friendship? Or is it OK to let my inner masochist win and remain friends, just in case he finally realizes I am the best thing that will ever happen to him? (Gawd I wish I was kidding.) Thanks so much in advance for any advice you have to offer. Cheers, The Forlorn Friend
C l i o : First off, I want to hug you and then buy you a beer (or other beverage o your choice). It was so brave to send that email. Being that open and vulnerable, even with someone you’ve known well or a long time, is really reaking scary. But you did it anyway! Well done. And I know that i I was in your situation, I would want to hang on too. Why lose a riend *and* a chance at happiness? But that’s what I want to tell you to do. You might very well be the best thing that ever happens to him, but i he never realizes it then it doesn’t matter. And i almost 2 years and repeated heart to hearts haven’t made it happen, on top o 11 previous years o history, then honey, I don’t know. And there’s the rub. You *don’t* know! There *is* still a chance, just like there’s a chance that you could win the lottery tomorrow, or get hit by space debris while walking down the street, or meet your next love waiting in line or coffee. How many other chances are you willing to miss waiting or this one? C u r t : I applaud your bravery. I’ve certainly been in that situation more times than I’d like to admit. I ofen compare the situation to the whole “will they / won’t they” plot in some o the more popular sitcoms. Honestly, I was in a similar situation last summer with a girl that I had eelings or. We had been riends or 16 years, and last year, afer 11 months o o late night phone calls, lirty talk, and putting mysel out there, I recognized that I needed to give mysel some distance rom the situation. Nothing terrible or dramatic, but the ambiguity was driving me crazy. What worked or me…and my suggestion to you is to surround yoursel with some new experiences, new adventures and new riends to help you keep some distance rom the matter. Do some new and unexpected things that will help you disrupt the pattern o thinking. Good luck! C a l l i o p e : I know my cohorts have already said this, but it bears repeating: You are brave and awesome or putting yoursel out there like this. You deserve so, so much better than a dude who
THE DIVORCÉ(E) CLUB leaves you hanging or 5 months. And it sounds like you know that, too. I know how hard it is to give up the hope o a great romance. Believe me, I know!! But putting yoursel and your eelings out there was the hardest part, so I know you have the strength to put up some boundaries and start to move on. You don’t have to cut this guy off completely, you just need to give yoursel the room to ind new things.
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doesn’t have time or me (despite repeated assurances otherwise), I don’t have time or them. Beneit o the doubt can only take you so ar.
Summer Loving
C e l t i n e : I think it depends a lot on this guy’s personality. I he’s pretty conident, then you may need to just write him off and move on, cuz he’s had plenty o opportunities. I he’s a little more shy, though, you might want to reach out and suggest a date yoursel. I had a nearly month-long lirtation with a guy once where every time I made a move that I thought signaled my interest, he just roze and seemed to not get the hint! I was so rustrated that I was convinced he had zero interest, even afer he gave me his number and we texted or a while. He even asked me out once while drunk, but then never ollowed through! I inally just kissed him because I igured anything else would be met with the same old reaction. Turns out, he was SUPER interested, just really nervous and convinced I didn’t like him. Now I’m married to him.
C l i o : It’s so hard to know what to think when someone has you “on hold.” A couple years ago I met a guy who I got to know over email irst, and then we started to hang out. And while his emails were extensive, quick in response, and charming, when it came to making plans he’d stop responding halway through the conversation, only to then check in the day beore (or the day o!) and be all, “Oh hey, we still meeting up?” It drove me nuts to the point that I stopped talking to him altogether; the agita wasn’t worth the payoff. I don’t know the reasons it happens, but I do know i someone
C u r t : I’m super-shy when it comes to relationships and dating. I always have been. Flirting? Being charming? Sweet gestures? Late-night phonecalls? I like to think I’ve got a handle on that. Pulling the trigger on actually asking someone out? That’s when I totally shut down or several o the reasons Celtine alluded to. Thousands o questions pop into my head and I get nervous. I say, depending on his demeanor, asking him out directly and cut through all o the ambivalence. I you don’t ask, the answer will always be “no.” So put yoursel out there and say something, and either way, you’ll be glad that you did.
11111 Last year I met a really awesome guy in summer class. We got along great and by the end of the semester he asked me out on a date via text. I said yes but he immediately responded with a whole spiel of how the date will have to be put on hold for a month due to his crazy work schedule. A month passes, we continue to text, but he doesn’t follow through. What’s the deal?
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The Columnists
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CELTINE has been divorced for four years and recently remarried. She is an eternal optimist when it comes to relationships, but also knows that a good partnership is far b etter than pretending your lover is perfect. CALLIOPE has been happily divorced for six years. She believes that love is a giant, blobby, indefinable mess, and that change, even when it’s the best change, is stressful to get through, but so very worth it. CLIO was married for four years and has been divorced for two. She’s currently happily single, and is re-learning how to date as a divorcée, an ex-of-analcoholic, and a woman with HSV. CURT has been separated for nearly two years and is in the process of a divorce. He’d got a lovable roguish personality, loves karaoke, and is working on being the best version of himself that he can be. He believes “love at first sight” is possible, b ut also knows great relationships flourish when partners work together as a team. 111111111111111111111
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This month we want to show you a peek at the character designs for Sarah Kuhn and Sally Jane Thompson’s The Ruby Equation! Sarah put together character descriptions for each of the main characters and Sally drew a few bunch of different versions of what those characters could look like. Everyone voted on their favorites until we were all on the same page!
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Cover by Yanick Paquette with colors by Sarah Winifred Searle
Next time… In School Spirit , Miles and Corrine are on the verge of being discovered…and you’ll find out why exactly that’s a big deal! Plus, Justine and Malie get some alone time and it’s not all about making out. In Ruined, Catherine and Andrew are married! Yay! Except it seems like no one is celebrating. In fact, Catherine and her sister are downright tearful at being separated. And you’ll see what happens when the bride and groom are finally alone… And in The Ruby Equation, Ruby realizes that her mission wasn’t exactly what she thought it was -- and now she has to deal with a lot more grunchy, annoying stuff. A barista’s work is never done! Plus, a feature about the fashion of classic romance comics by Jacque Nodell of Sequential Crush, another installment of the Divorcée Club, and more!
