Love and Rockets: The Great American Comic Book | Artbound | Season 13, Episode 1 | PBS SoCal

“Love and Rockets” astounded the alternative comic book scene and garnered a world-wide fanbase by pushing the edge of storytelling through graphic art. Originally published by three brothers from Oxnard, California, “Love and Rockets” has been praised for its diversity and nuance. Its storylines have continued for the past 40 years with its characters aging and situations developing in real-time.
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#comics #graphicnovels #publishing #Artbound #art #culture #Oxnard #California #loveandrockets

[@afeitealperro6079]

Love and Rockets, one of the greatest work of art of the last 40 years. Hernandez Bros, LEGENDS.

[@emmyuwu5403]

only just discovered love and rockets a month ago through the great american comics 2014. at first u was a bit hesitant on the writing, but the art just blew me away. i was obsessed with Jamie’s artwork, and i began to really love how he wrote these characters i knew nothing about before. i’m just so amazed that they’ve been doing this for so long. i’m only 19, so disconnected from what the 80s could be, and yet i saw myself in Maggie and Hopey so vividly. I feel like i have to run down a street telling everyone i know and don’t know to just read love and rockets!!! as an aspiring cartoonist, i hope i can make a story that resonates with people as much as love and rockets has in the short time i’ve known it existed.

[@uranuslad9855]

I was blown away as a kid by the fact that the worlds of the bros existed contemporaneously. Even in a world of aliens, space travel, and superheroes, the people would be living their lives just as they always did. That was so profound that I never forgot it. Maggie could go from a prosolar mechanic to a fast food worker, and no one batted an eye, because Maggie as a person really was always the same.

[@chainsawbarbarian]

This Socal punk rock comic book dork has been waiting for this

[@madfx8058]

This is one of the big reasons why I’m so proud to tell people I’ve from Oxnard! The whole cast of characters in the earlier Locas series remind me so much of the people I’ve encountered growing up in this town, just that whole Hoppers/Huerta or Chiques/Oxnard dynamic is still true to this day. I love that one scene where they go cruising in Oxnard and I’m able to apply a visual to what my parents and neighbors told me about when they used to cruise A street or the Boulevard. I believe it was either Jaime or his brother Ismael created the Nardcore sign which has been a symbol of our local hardcore scene, you can still see it on graffiti (on some really old pieces that are faded), bands continue to use in their merchandizing, and people like me also have it tattooed! Those original Nardcore posters/album art created by Jaime are absolutely epic and add to the lore of our local music scene. People have always called this city the Gutter by the sea, the place where you get robbed and some other racist commentary directed towards the predominant Latino community we have, so to see locals gain the recognition they deserve (and to be spotlighted as prolific figures in this form of art) its very inspiring!

[@boudusaved4719]

I've been reading comics for more than 40 of my 50 years and I only, surprisingly, came to know about Love and Rockets about 2 years ago. I'm on volume 15 and I have to say it may be my favorite comic series of all time. There is simply nothing like it out there. I love the characters, the art, the various plots, the manner in which the writer/artist brothers "direct" or "edit" the scenes. It must have been highly influential on the cinema that followed. Before I came across Love and Rockets, I was ready to say Watchmen, The Sandman and Saga were my favorites, but I don't think so anymore. Love and Rockets all the way.

[@johnnygardner288]

Glad you found it. I was the same age as Hopey and Maggie when I started readiing it in 1985. I am now 59 years old and still reading it. We are all the same age old punk rock chicks.

[@bossanova88]

Dear KCET, Please make this episode one of a series of interviews with Los Bros Hernandez. You have really just scratched the surface of two creators who contain multitudes. How do they come up with their specific stories (life experiences, literary influences)? Who were some of the models for their characters? What are their respective creative processes? I would love to see a deeper dive. Thank you for considering.

[@warpedspeed4517]

This is pura vida- MI VIDA! I was, in fact, a Chicano that played in a punk rock band for a short while before getting into gang problems in Salinas, CA (who doesn't, right? 🤣) Because of what stories where told and how did this series become precious and personal to me. It is such a trip to know that some of the main characters share appearances and names to important and close people in my life- as if the Hernandez Bros. wrote us into existence! Yup, that is how real these stories are. I could go on and on about how incredible both of the brothers and their respective stories and characters are, but one must read them to best experience their greatness. No documentary, no book review, no words can likely be said or written that can do them justice as much any of their affordable paperback compilations. In short, if you've any interest in literature and masterful artistry, go for the bros. Long live Los Bros. Hernandez, heroés de la raza! Orale. 🖖

[@yaelfeder9042]

You save any recordings of your music?

[@creepyspookyicky]

This is so good. Nobody gets little kids like the bros. Their weird little rituals and games & the social hierarchy between them - they just GET IT. & Every now and then, it will just hit something in me & make me cry my fkn heart out. & I don't even like kids all that much lol.

[@electrojones]

Groth writes like The Comic Book Guy on The Simpsons. The Hernandez Bros are two of the finest creators this dazzling art form has ever seen.

[@Arseface-X80]

Love & Rockets, baby ❤ 🚀! I love how Gary Groth truly believed in it from the get-go because IT IS AMAZING! and still around 42 years later 👏

[@MobiusBandwidth]

Basically the best comic book series ever, overall. I was lucky enough to hang out with Jaime' a bit, incredibly nice guy, so sincere. So talented and inspiring. my own comic book series, Punk rock alien space girl adventures, (read it free online!) -is heavily influenced by Love & Rockets, I'm just glad I had the opportunity to thank him in in person for his inestimable contribution to the arts. thanks for this excellent documentary.

[@Christinekueblerartist]

No it’s not as high profile as it deserves to be. That’s for sure. This is one of the most brilliant things I’ve ever seen. And how is it that I’m only discovering it now at 46. Well, I guess it’s never too late, but just wow. Truly brilliant. ❤

[@AlejandroSilva-mr7yy]

Discovered this comic literally two weeks ago I have never felt so seen or so incredibly touched

[@babywah3290]

The only other set of 3 brothers who did comics/art were the Crumbs. Their story is much more tragic and only one of them becoming successful. Been a fan of Love & Rockets since ‘86❤❤👍👍

[@Tigerbrown44]

As a kid i loved the newspaper comic strips and marvel comic books. My cartoon style was influenced by Peanuts, Andy Capp, Dennis the Menace, Beetle Bailey and later on The Far Side. I collected Marvel comics as well. Eventually i drifted away from comic books. Then in college i got back into it. Mage, Grendel, Hate, Eightball were some of my favorites, but Love and Rockets was by far the best. The comic book equivalent of Gabriel Garcias Marquez. The writing and the art is just so superior. I’m going to dig out my collection and reread all the issues i have tomorrow morning. Thanks for the episode.

[@caderoger]

I'm from Brazil, Love and Rockets was brought here back in the ealy 90s, thanks to the great late Brazilian cartoonist and comic book editor Otacílio Barros (known as OTA, he was famously the editor for the Brazilian version of the MAD magazine, which featured both American and Brazilian Mad-type gags). Anyway, back in 1990 I was too young for L&R, and after disastrous economic plans by our esteemed South-American politicians, the Brazilian publication of L&R lasted only for about 5 issues and a couple of specials. I found a copy of issues 1, 2 and 4 in an old newstand in a town I used to lived at back in 2002 and instantly fell in LOVE with everything, the art first sure, but then the characters and the whole. Palomar seemed to be a familiar place, it could be some small village on the shores of Bahia, I think. I really liked 80s American punk rock, so of course I wanted to hang out with las LOCAS, it was right up my alley. it's great to see this short doc on the Bros., it was reaaaaally difficult to find things about them on that 2000s, old timey internet.

[@dagmarramgad5441]

L&R has been such a huge part of my life over the years. Some of my strongest lifelong friendships began over a mutual love for the comic. I feel like I’ve grown up with the characters in real-time. I still have all my war torn issues in a big crate and all my well loved books. The stories have been an immense comfort to me also when I’ve gone through rough times in life. I’m just so insanely grateful for their work on so many levels. Great documentary. I still think it would be amazing if some of the stories could be adapted into a movie someday. Especially Poison River!

[@MJWolverine21]

What a relief I am finally seeing someone talking about this series! Especially I love it's unique art style and aesthetics. You can instantly tell it's a Hernandez brothers comic just by a single panel! This series needs more recognition and Must Go On. _animated series and all those sh*ts_

[@victorsixtythree]

My gosh...I've been reading Love and Rockets since the early 80's. It's amazing to think that L&R has been a constant in my life for forty years! Thank you, Los Bros. Hernandez!

[@fernandoorozco3751]

Back in the early to mid-80s I was growing up in Santa Barbara. We used to have Punk shows at two local halls, the Goleta Community Center and La Casa de La Raza. I remember one of the first shows I went to, the support bands we're all from Oxnard. This was Nardcore. Aggression, Ill Repute, and Doctor Know. I remember Doctor Know's bass player really standing out to me. He was a Latino guy in the Cholo Punk style of dress and he had a really wild style as far as his bass playing. This was Ismael Hernandez. I remember a couple years later being at the comic shop and my friend telling me that this comic here, Love and Rockets was drawn by the brothers of Ismael from Dr Know. I remember there was some punk characters in the comic book, and Nardcore graffiti in the background. It really intrigued me. I never collected it, but I have always been a fan over the years. Great documentary by the way. Thanks for bringing me back to the old days.

[@XMachete]

So glad I didn't sell my L&R collection. I still have a memory for picking up the first issue I encountered (which was whatever issue had the band playing on the stage on the cover). This video has prompted me to re-read what I have, which is 1-50, the mechanics stuff, and the early collected editions.

[@heinoustentacles5719]

Wonderful stuff! I'm always waiting for Love and Rockets to get more recognition!

[@Madbandit77]

Me too. When people complain about the so-called lack of diversity in comic books, they should read Love & Rockets.

[@HiddenHandMedia]

@@Madbandit77 The people that are complaining either don't buy comics or the complaints are manufactured by the media.

[@besahagun]

Another Peruvian fan here. Thank you for this. Not only the display of all that beautiful art, but the articulation of what make L&R such a landmark en comics history are more than enough reasons to watch this documentary. Well done!

[@uknown1100]

Viva Peru!

[@jeromebrown6626]

Robert Rodriguez should do these movies!!!

[@johanmalm8378]

Los bros Hernandez! finally I'm recomended something good by the algorithmes. Been a fan for at least 33 yrs. Allways loved that Jaimies characters aged. And Betos worlds of magic and sex.

[@RogerFusselman]

I love how the artists on Dennis the Menace and Little Archie influenced this thematically different work.

[@thewolfmike2226]

This was just so fantastic, what a rad bunch of brothers doing the coolest comics! Love and Rockets rules!

[@rudetuesday]

I found Love and Rockets during uni, at a comics store while wandering the town off-campus, during the late 1980s. The shape and cover art got to me, so I started reading. I bought the issues that were there, caught a bus back to my best friend's dorm, and slapped those comics in front of her. We've been fans ever since. Love and Rockets helped make us who we are.

[@DonChups]

I love these comics. Thanks for the work on this documentary.

[@landyalmond7742]

I'm 52... I fell in love with comics before I started kindergarten. Been in love ever since. Read everything in every genre the medium has to offer. And I do mean everything. And Love and Rockets is the best by far. I only buy two books these days. Love and Rockets is one of those books. The other is Red Room which is also published by Fantagraphics.

[@dadahyena]

I first found Xaime's "Locas" stories when I was back in college and it had a humongous impact on me as an indie comic artist; he's not only one of the best artists (and especially inkers) out there but an amazing storyteller with a visual style that perfectly complements the writing. I also gave up on using 'floating timelines' in my comics work (where characters never age and things remain more or less the same forever), something that I'm positive was inspired by Love and Rockets.

[@michaelthomsen1797]

As a teenager in the mid 1980s I used to read the early books translated into Danish at my local public library.... I don't own the complete comics, but I do own the original 1980s-90s run in trade paperbacks.... and a few later books. Occasionally I'll go out and buy a new book (mostly from Gilbert, dunno why I always preferred him a little bit), and it's always a joy. I should buy some more really.

[@noneofyourbusiness4616]

The co-publisher of Love and Rockets, Kim Thompson, was Danish. I wonder if he translated them?

[@michaelthomsen1797]

Havent got the old editions these days, but I don’t think it was him.

[@ninamo3523]

Drawing *is* cool! Been a fan since the 80s. And after moving to SF from LA, I finally met these guys at a comic book signing. Never been star struck, but floated out of there, taking the wrong bus, and walking home in a cloud. 🥴

[@comicbookmann252]

Really great documentary. Truly the best comic book series ever created.

[@nprbiz]

Love and Rockets was one of my favorite bands. All seems so strange.

[@MonsterCC]

Just picked up the First Fifty Collection, can't wait to dive into the older stuff!

[@earlgrey862]

blurring out middlefingers and text in speechbubbles... really? 🤣 ... but anyhow: thanks, wonderful documentary, puts a smile on my face... I love the bros and everything they've done so far

[@marlawhite1430]

I had a few of those from comic book store l a few years back comic book and I really liked the "Heartbreak Soup "storys most of all.

[@bruceknight3720]

Thanks for making this available. I'm a fan from England. Favourite story is probably Palomar

[@andrewmacdonald3667]

I’ve been a fan since the first issue. Thanks for making this available. And thank you Los Bros.

[@mattwales2734]

I've been following them since '90. Amazing work.

[@gonesavage]

Thank you very much for this doc.

[@walterstowe7384]

I still have a flier Jaime designed for our band in 1983. They gave me a 1st edition L&R as well. I'm surprised the film makers didn't mention the English band Love and Rockets. I met Daniel Ash and mentioned the Hernandez bros and he was really surprised I knew where the band took their name from.

[@3340steve]

Thank you for sharing this beautiful documentary. I am amazed by the great work the Hernandez brothers achieved.

[@axistiltproductions]

WOW what a journey! Love your work guys!

[@privateteacher9588]

Hi hello from France ! Thank you so much for this documentary ! I met te Bros in the 80’s at the festival d’Angoulême. It’ s great to see how long they last and how this comic book is still brillant.

[@francoistroudbal402]

great documentary and great discovery for me! thx for this.

[@mwmingram]

The most beautiful drawing.

[@antnee5150]

I got into reading love and rockets back about 86/87. The stories were refreshing at the time. I mean it had an organic feeling. Excellent comic series.

[@cyberpunkholiday]

The greatest comic book of all-time!

[@kovokkovariki]

Here's the thing about not keeping up and not researching: My Pretty Vampire is one of my favorite things ever. It's both its unique kind of comic and something that lives in the same realm of The Love Witch. ... And I had no idea Katie Skelly had a podcast... Learn from my mistakes, people: cool people will keep on doing cool things.

[@rabbitfishtv]

That was just great. Thanks for the insight and the interviews and the appreciation. I’ve been reading Love and Rockets since issue number three back in the early 80s, and I’m still on board.

[@ambrsanford3703]

My number one favorite comic. I had them all.

[@ellesse3862]

I really enjoyed this, great title. Thank goodness for punk and the Hernandez brothers desire to do their own thing, the world of comics has been a richer place for it.

[@frankmartinez4856]

I’ve the first issue! 😮Art work is fantastic! Just love 💕 it! Kool 😊

[@thomasgreissfan17]

Thank you for this! This is amazing

[@caroespinoza9287]

Love it , entertaining ❤

[@alynettework]

Great story!

[@josevalero3304]

Sigue La Lucha! The Fight/Struggle Continues!

[@engel5]

I am a fan of L&R since I discovered the magazine in the nineties when I stayed in Boston for a while. Still buying every book that is being published and love it. Not everybody in The Netherlands is familiar with the work of the Hernandez brothers.

[@anthonyperdue3557]

😎The influence , whether consciously or not , of the comic strips Gordo by Gus Arriola and Gasoline Alley by Frank King is very much a participation in the magnificence of L&R as well as the influences the brothers cited. As a fan of single panel comic strips (Platinum Age on ward ) I could easily see L&R with its slice of life brilliance being a most remarkable single panel offering.

[@FranciscoBurrola]

I'm not into comic books, but this is just so cool

[@comicbookmann252]

Oh, I want a copy of that "Rocket Comics #1" that he made when he was a kid in 1968!

[@jeromebrown6626]

BRILLIANT!!

[@samuelblinne6040]

Awesome

[@fad23]

I've been looking forward to this episode for a while now. Can't wait to watch!

[@ElGatoBlanco1970]

I remember seeing the errata stigmata graphic novel back when I first collected comics in 87. But I never got into it. Eventually I got into 8ball and Hate and the Love and Rockets. I collected the series and realized it was the best thing ever

[@samuelblinne6040]

Love and rockets is a great comic book

[@nulsh331]

Loved this! Was great to see them both drawing! Thanks for posting.

[@joshuaclark1930]

HBO/Netflix should dump 300 million into a 15 episode season of love and rockets, split between the early love and rockets in one style and the paloma in another style with animation, stills and live acting. it could be nearly as good as the comic if done with brutality and sensitivity. It's almost a gothic epic, when torn down and dissected. Coens could do it. With Wes Anderson.

[@Madbandit77]

I can't disagree with that.

[@adamweissman7286]

Jaime doesn't want his work compromised by adaptation. Beto is open to it.

[@joshuaclark1930]

@@adamweissman7286 hm. can i ask for a link to the interview in which it's stated? thx

[@adamweissman7286]

Also, I agree with him. The beauty of Locas is it's the uncompromised vision of one guy, who is a master of his craft, using the tools of his particular medium to tell stories. An adaptation for a commercial streaming service or whatever would inevitably be a disappointment and would take Jaime away from doing what he does best.

[@joshuaclark1930]

@@adamweissman7286 The Coens would do it right, though...

[@edicionespictorama248]

Greetings from Perú!!

[@malmoth8714]

That was really good.

[@beeradriaanse]

Great doc on amazing artists. Well done.

[@josephsmall4270]

My favorite comic book. My favorite character in it is Penny Century.

[@mandermpf]

Amazing!

[@TravisLee33]

Cool, just now hearing about this.

[@lakrids-pibe]

One of my absolute favorite comics. But I could never figure out how to pronounce the *j* in Jaime

[@ShonJonify]

Indie Comics Are Amazing

[@blacktionjackson7133]

Lol. As soon as I heard "latinx" I laughed and shut off the video.

[@mzungusi]

If someone could kindly submit Love & Rockets to the Nobel Prize committee? I am not joking.

[@jparker71]

If there was one comic, that should be televised, it should be this book. Especially with the high caliber of hispanic and latino actors and actresses about today, you could easily populate an HBO ensemble production with a vastly skewed ethnic cast, much like the Wire was

[@Eyeandhey]

No thanks. Love & Rockets is perfect as is.

[@cudima]

what was the music starting at 38:56 and going through the scene about taking photos?

[@WickedNPC]

I wasn't surprised that they didn't even mention Birdland.

[@hsuan2323]

Or that English goth rock band that named themselves after the comic book

[@bobblehead67]

So who do we call to hook up Los Bros Hernandez with a National Medal of the Arts? Stan Lee got one! Kirby, Kurtzman, Eisner all missed out. These guys and Art Spiegelman are Great American Artists, full stop.

[@monomakes]

Loved this world when L&R made it to London. So very evocative and grounded. It irks somewhat when the presenters say 'queer' :p

[@robertlloyd122]

Can you say why it irks you?

[@bhbluebird]

Heartbreak Soup was my introduction to Love and Rockets -- so far ahead of most other comics back in the 80s. I like how the authors have let the characters age and change as the years go by.

[@edsonnavarrus7379]

Maybe is The Great American Latino Comic Book, aniway is time for an animated serie or movie, I suggest

[@bizbobizbo82]

The moment I heard LatinX. I was like, nope nope need to find another video.

[@waterboils4854]

You’re not punk

[@_BASIC_INSTINCT]

poison river is classic

[@joaomarceloperdigao5386]

my heroes.

[@jayquinn9157]

Needs more diversity

[@diogodias2754]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@joshuaclark1930]

I assume the brothers have seen Crumb, and must feel some connection to the Crumbs, in their parallels at the very beginning. Crumb's older brother Charles became unhinged and incapable of living outside in the world, and quit drawing. Charles's last drawings before R.Crumb moved away are exquisite but completely out there in the stratosphere, with the cascading wrinkles and hyper-cartoon distortions... And he was doing these ultra-stylistic drawings in the early 60s, before anybody else... Oddball...

[@augustschild]

if there were a just god, this would've already been made into an HBO series produced by Fred Armisen/robert rodriguez, or someone with enough pull to get it done.

[@MareMeyer]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏💕💕

[@SrSacaninha]

Nice doc, but not enough Palomar in it.

[@Eyeandhey]

Los Bros Hernandez!

[@thedeaforc]

What happen to the other brother. The brothers came to my Art College in the 90s

[@noneofyourbusiness4616]

He was not as prolific as the other two and dropped out.

[@DanielleA2023]

❤️❣️💥💫⭐💞