Strangers in Paradise

Strangers in Paradise
Publication information
Publisher Mostly self-published
Genre
    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 1-892597-01-2
    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 first issue was published January 1, 1993. The series has reached its planned conclusion, finishing off in 2007 with issue #90 of volume 3.[1] However, it was announced at Comic-Con International 2012 there will be another story in the form of a novel.[2]

    Origins

    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 had 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.[3] This volume can be considered the true origin of Katchoo, Francine and the SiP universe.

    Plot

    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.

    Characters

    Awards

    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 2003. It also won the GLAAD Award for Best Comic Book in 2001.

    Collected editions

    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:

    #TitleIssues
    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, #31–38
    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, #70–72, 74–76
    18 Love & Lies Vol. 3, #77–82
    19 Ever After Vol. 3, #83–90

    The hardback collections to date are:

    #ISBNTitleIssues
    1 ISBN 978-1892597052 The Complete Strangers in Paradise, Volume 1 Vol. 1 #1–3
    2 ISBN 978-1892597069 The Complete Strangers in Paradise, Volume 2 Vol. 2, #1–13
    3 ISBN 978-1892597106 The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 1 Vol. 3, #1–12
    4 ISBN 978-1892597120 The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 2 Vol. 3, #13–25, Lyrics & Poems
    5 ISBN 978-1892597144 The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 3 Vol. 3, #26–32, 34–38
    6 ISBN 978-1892597175 The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 4 Vol. 3, #40–45, plus 39, 46, 49
    7 ISBN 978-1892597236 The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 5 Vol. 3, #47–48, 50–57
    8 ISBN 978-1892597281 The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 6 Vol. 3, #58–69
    9 ISBN 978-1892597366 The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 7 Vol. 3, #70–72, 74–82
    10 ISBN 978-1892597373 The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 3, Part 8 Vol. 3, #83–90

    The "pocket book" collections to date are:

    TitleIssuesISBN
    Strangers in Paradise Pocket Book 1 Vol. 1 Issues 1–3 and Vol. 2 Issues 1–13 ISBN 1-892597-26-8
    Strangers in Paradise Pocket Book 2 Vol. 3, #1–17 ISBN 1-892597-29-2
    Strangers in Paradise Pocket Book 3 Vol. 3, #18–24, 26–32, 34–38 ISBN 1-892597-30-6
    Strangers in Paradise Pocket Book 4 Vol. 3, #40–45, 47–48, 50–60 ISBN 1-892597-31-4
    Strangers in Paradise Pocket Book 5 Vol. 3, #61–72, 74–76, plus Complete Molly & Poo 46, 49, 73 ISBN 1-892597-38-1
    Strangers in Paradise Pocket Book 6 Vol. 3, #77–90 ISBN 1-892597-39-X

    Other books to date are:

    Merchandise

    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.[6]

    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,[7] although several of these items are listed as 'sold out', and are hard to come by elsewhere.

    References

    1. ↑ Tramountanas, George A. (March 17, 2006). "Strangers No More, as Moore Brings 'Strangers in Paradise' to an End". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
    2. ↑ Liegl, Andy (July 12, 2012). "Terry Moore Announces New 'SIP' Story and All-Ages Comic Project". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
    3. ↑ Terry Moore's blog
    4. ↑ Frankenhoff, Brent (2011). Comics Buyer's Guide Presents: 100 Sexiest Women in Comics. Krause Publications. p. 46. ISBN 1-4402-2988-0.
    5. ↑ Frankenhoff p. 54
    6. ↑ Indie Spotlight 1: Katchoo review
    7. ↑ Official SiP store

    External links