Man, that title could’ve meant anything.
Are they criminals who have sex while performing illegal acts? Maybe they make a point of performing illegal sex acts, or use sex as part of their intricately planned heist.
Actually they have special powers that only work after having an orgasm. Obvious, I guess. The story focuses on Suzie, and is told through a fourth wall breaking narrative. Suzie in the present day sits in the frame and tells us what is happening in the past as we get caught up on her story. As a young teen Suzie underwent a sexual awakening with a difference. When she has an orgasm time comes to stop for everything except her. Unable to understand this phenomenon she begins a study but can’t find definitive answers.
As an adult Suzie and her room-mate throw parties to collect donations needed to save books from the library she works at before the bank forecloses on it. At one of these parties she meets and bumps uglies with Jon, who works at the bank, and is startled to discover he has the same power. By combining their knowledge they develop a clearer picture of what is happening. Through their growing and more trusting relationship they begin taking advantage of freezing time to cause mischief and steal. Eventually they decide to rob the bank to save the library, but run afoul of a similarly powered law enforcement group.
What to say about this comic…it’s weird, but in a good way. Quirky without being forced. In terms of tone it reminded me very heavily of the Scott Pilgrim series. The tawdry topic is handled with a knowing smirk and energetic sense of humor. The 40 Year Old Virgin and Bridesmaids have both been cited as influences, and it can be seen in the raw honesty that sex and relationships are dealt with. At times it is hinted that the bond between Suzie and Jon primarily stems from their shared experience with this unusual power, and it’s debatable whether they’d be together if it wasn’t a factor. All of the character work is rich and well developed. Suzie in particular feels like a real person, and someone you’d enjoy hanging out with.
At this early stage in the piece we couldn’t say how the over-arching story is going to play out or whether it will be worth the wait. There’s certainly a strong foundation on which to build and, more importantly, there’s some fantastic characters. This counts for more than anything else with a new title.
To sum up we have nice artwork, great writing and an original concept. In this era of imploding DC and Marvel universes, continuity reboots, ‘event’ stories and the like this is the exact thing we want to see. Younger audience may not connect with the characters well because the main thrust (boom tish) of the story may be outside of their experience but if you connected with Scott Pilgrim you’ll find something to like about Suzie.
