| Strangers in Paradise | |
|---|---|
Strangers in Paradise volume 3, issue 1 alternative cover. Francine at left, Katchoo at right. |
|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Mostly self-published |
| Number of issues | 106 |
| Main character(s) | Katina "Katchoo" Choovanski Francine Peters-Silver |
| Creative team | |
| Creator(s) | Terry Moore |
| Collected editions | |
| I Dream of You | ISBN 1892597012 |
| High School! | ISBN |
| Immortal Enemies | ISBN |
| It's a Good Life | ISBN |
| Love Me Tender | ISBN |
| Sanctuary | ISBN |
Strangers in Paradise is a long-running, mostly self-published black-and-white comic book, written and drawn by Terry Moore. The series has reached its planned conclusion, finishing off in 2007 with issue #90 of volume 3.[1]
The series is noteworthy for its appeal to a non-traditional audience, in particular women who would not ordinarily consider themselves readers of comic books.
Contents |
Terry Moore stated that 'I started out wanting to do a newspaper strip, and tried one idea after another before I realised I hated the gag-a-day life and really wanted to try a story instead.' The story he chose to tell turned out to be Strangers in Paradise, or 'this story about 2 girls and a guy who gets to know them' (from Moore's introduction to The Collected Strangers in Paradise, Volume One), which used characters he'd developed during his time on the gag-a-day circuit. For example, Katchoo appears as a 'happy-go-lucky wood nymph' in an early strip by Moore about an enchanted forest. These strips were collected into two trade paperbacks, but they did not include three issues. Because of this, the entire run was later published in one large paperback edition entitled 'The Complete Paradise Too'.[2] This volume can be considered the true origin of Katchoo, Francine and the SiP universe.
The story primarily concerns the difficult relationship between two women, Helen Francine Peters (known simply as Francine) and Katina Marie ("Katchoo") Choovanski, and their friend David Qin. Francine considers Katchoo her best friend; Katchoo is in love with Francine. David is in love with Katchoo (a relationship which Katchoo herself is deeply confused about).
This plays itself out over a second plot element, a thriller style story concerning the shadowy 'Big Six' organization. Its leader is a woman named Darcy Parker, who uses highly trained women (of whom Katchoo was one) to infiltrate—and to an extent control—the American political system. It uses a non-linear approach to storytelling, putting in sequence elements of the story often years apart, and going back in time frequently.
SiP, as it is commonly known, began as a three-issue mini-series published by Antarctic Press in 1993, which focused entirely on the relationship between the three main characters and Francine's unfaithful boyfriend. This is now known as "Volume 1". Thirteen issues were published under Moore's own "Abstract Studio" imprint, and these make up "Volume 2". This is where the "thriller" plot was introduced. The series moved to Image Comics' Homage imprint for the start of "Volume 3", but after eight issues moved back to Abstract Studio, where it continued with the same numbering. Volume 3, and with it the series itself, has concluded, with Moore ending at issue #90 June 6. 2007.
The series received the Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story in 1996 for "I Dream of You" as well as the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Award for Best Comic Book in 1997. It also won the GLAAD Award for Best Comic Book in 2001.
It has been collected into a series of full-size trade paperbacks, hardback collections, and smaller format paperback collections. These reprints collect the issues into different sets.
The full-size paperback collections to date are:
| # | Title | Issues |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Collected Strangers in Paradise | Vol. 1 #1 - 3 |
| 2 | I Dream of You | Vol. 2, #1 - 9 |
| 3 | It's a Good Life | Vol. 2, #10 - 13 |
| 4 | Love Me Tender | Vol. 3, #1 - 5 |
| 5 | Immortal Enemies | Vol. 3, #6 - 12 |
| 6 | High School! | Vol. 3, #13 - 16 |
| 7 | Sanctuary | Vol. 3, #17 - 24 |
| 8 | My Other Life | Vol. 3, #25 - 30 |
| 9 | Child of Rage | Vol. 3, #31 - 32, 34 - 38 |
| 10 | Tropic of Desire | Vol. 3, #39 - 43 |
| 11 | Brave New World | Vol. 3 #44 - 48 |
| 12 | Heart in Hand | Vol. 3, #50 - 54 |
| 13 | Flower to Flame | Vol. 3, #55 - 60 |
| 14 | David's Story | Vol. 3, #61 - 63 |
| 15 | Tomorrow Now | Vol. 3, #64 - 69 |
| 16 | Molly & Poo | Vol. 2, #14, Vol. 3, #49 & 73 |
| 17 | Tattoo | Vol. 3, #71 - 72, 74 - 76 |
| 18 | Love & Lies | Vol. 3, #77 - 82 |
| 19 | Ever After | Vol. 3, #83 - 90 |
The hardback collections to date are:
| # | Title | Issues |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Complete Strangers in Paradise, Volume 1 | Vol. 1 #1 - 3 |
| 2 | The Complete Strangers in Paradise, Volume 2 | Vol. 2, #1 - 13 |
| 3 | The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 1 | Vol. 3, #1 - 12 |
| 4 | The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 2 | Vol. 3, #13 - 25, Lyrics & Poems |
| 5 | The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 3 | Vol. 3, #26 - 32, 34 - 38 |
| 6 | The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 4 | Vol. 3, #40 - 45, plus 39, 46, 49 |
| 7 | The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 5 | Vol. 3, #47 - 48, 50 - 57 |
| 8 | The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 6 | Vol. 3, #58 - 69 |
| 9 | The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 7 | Vol. 3, #70 - 72, 74 - 82 |
| 10 | The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 8 | Vol. 3, #83 - 90 |
The pocket books collections to date are:
Other books to date are:
Two limited edition statuettes of Katchoo were produced by Clayburn Moore as the first in a planned series of three statues based around the series. In the first she is standing in a skimpy black dress, and in the second she is reclining in a bath wearing her leather jacket and holding a drink and a gun.
In 2009 Shocker Toys released a Katchoo figure as part of the first series of its "Indie Spotlight" line.[3]
In 1996 a series of trading cards was released by Comic Images, consisting of a 90-card base set plus extra collector's cards, such as the 500 'autograph cards' that featured Terry Moore's signature and information on the creation of SiP. These extra cards were inserted randomly into packs. Also produced was a matching SiP binder, which came with 12 9-pocket sleeves to hold the cards.
Advertised on the official SiP website are character pin badges representing Francine, Katchoo and David. There is also a black tote bag featuring the Strangers in Paradise logo and a tumbler decorated with colour panels from the series, in addition to a postcard set and two T shirts,[4] although several of these items are listed as 'sold out', and are hard to come by elsewhere.