Love, American Style

If you grew up in the 70's or 80's and read the comics section of your newspaper, you undoubtedly came across a Love is... cartoon. Created by Kim Casali, a New Zealand native who began making drawings for her husband-to-be in California in 1967, The Los Angeles Times picked up the drawings for publication, and "Love is..." became a syndicated cartoon in 1970. It went on to appear in newspapers in 50 countries.

Our local newspaper didn't run the cartoon, but I remember my grandmother would save me the comics and movies sections from her newspaper (the Abilene Reporter), and I would get to see them then. They were VERY 70's in their look and sentiment, and I'm sure some would argue that their appeal/message is timeless.

Which brings me to my latest self-induced project: Stalking is..., during which I came to realize the cartoons really are timeless! I only changed 2 of the original cartoon's wording and added to one. They are now OFFICIALLY timeless. Oh, and the one obvious difference: they now feature a same-sex couple, something I'm sure would have poor Kim spinning in her grave if she knew (not to mention her legion of fans, who ironically enough, I'm sure {considering the comic's demographic} are vehemently anti-gay).

Although, on some level, I do have nostalgic feelings tied to the original cartoons themselves, during the 'evolution' of the strip, the two main characters (two nude children of the opposite sex) somehow managed to spawn (sans genitalia) multiple children/relatives, thus making the majority of the new ones nauseatingly sweet. Don't believe me? Click the image in the first paragraph and see for yourself. If you're a parent and/or grandparent, they are custom-made just for you. Cynics and those with an overactive gag reflex need not apply. Instead, you can enjoy the more realistic world of Stalking is..