The Collected Strangers In Paradise [Paperback]

Terry Moore (Author)

Book Description

Series: Strangers in Paradise | Publication Date: April 1, 1994

The Collected Strangers In Paradise begins the tale of two friends who share their lives and loves. Meet Katchoo and Francine and learn how they deal with everyday issues in their own special way!

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The saga of Katchoo, Francine, and David continues, and their relationships with each other and with their circle of friends intertwine and become ever more complicated. The over-lying themes are regret, and loyalty and betrayal. Book 2 opens 10 years down the line from Book 1 (2005), with the trio separated. Francine is a bored, unhappy housewife stuck in a bad marriage. Katchoo is a successful artist who lives life at a distance. David is nowhere to be seen. Flashbacks reveal the trials and tribulations that have slowly worn away friendship: Francine's inability to decide what she wants from life and from Katchoo, David's mysterious past that links him even closer to Katchoo, and the Mafia life that still won't let Katchoo go. The particular beauty of Moore's graphic storytelling shows in its seamless welding of the events of everyday life and extraordinary underworld/Mafia plot.His writing slips easily from traditional comics dialogue to prose to poetry without missing a beat. His characters live and breathe so vividly that it shows how much he loves them and induces the reader to love them, too. Moore's artwork is consistently gorgeous--darkly cute, conveying emotion with subtle grace and a human touch. Strangers in Paradise is one soap opera no one should miss. Tina Coleman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Abstract Studio (April 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892597004
• ISBN-13: 978-1892597007
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,960,525 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A tantalizing introduction to three intriguing characters., May 27, 2002

By 

Mary J. Alderdice "geek, book lover, craft fiend" (Washington DC Metro Area, US) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Collected Strangers In Paradise (Paperback)

This first compilation of Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise collects the first three issues of the comic (Volume 1, Issue 1: Breaking up is Hard to Do; Volume 1, Issue 2: Katchoo's Revenge; and Volume 1, Issue 3: Busted!) into one volume. We are introduced to two long-time friends, Francine Peters and Katina "Katchoo" Choovanski, as well as assorted other characters such as Francine's boyfriend (well, at the start) Freddie Femur and the smitten David Qin. So many relationships! Francine is in love with Freddie, Katchoo is in love with Francine, David is in love with Katchoo, and Freddie is mostly in love with himself.

The volume revolves around Francine's relationship with Freddie. The sexual tension, the infidelity, the breakup. Then, there's Francine's reaction to the situation, which spurs Katchoo's reaction to the situation, which spurs Freddie's reaction to Katchoo's reaction. It's all very cause-and-effect.

The interaction and by-play between characters tends to be fairly fast-paced, with everyone reaecting to the world around them. The one exception seems to be David Qin, Katchoo's unwanted admirer, who seems to take on the role of observer in all of the drama unfolding around Francine and Katchoo.

What strikes me about this comic is that it's about normal people in (mostly) normal situations. Francine tries to deal with a breakup. Katchoo and David deal with unrequited love. Freddie is a jerk... There are no magic powers. There are no fantastic worlds. It's just about ... people, living their lives.

The exception to this rule seems to be Katchoo herself. Her methods of dealing with alarm clocks must make the alarm clock manufacturers of the world very happy. She seems to be unnaturally strong. She has what the politically correct might call 'anger issues.' But underneath it all, she is a friend, and a protector, willing to do anything she can to keep Francine safe, and happy, and sheltered from the ugliness of the world. Oh yeah, and she also has a felony record that the FBI won't release.

Interesting.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quite rollicking and UNCONVENTIONAL!, June 6, 2001

By 

R. Garcia "Beeyotch" (Brockport, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Collected Strangers In Paradise (Paperback)

While browsing in the local comic book shop, I came across this book that seems to be about two young women - one blonde and one brunette... I went and bought it... Let me tell you...I'm really glad I got this book because I enjoyed it a great deal and even LAUGHED REALLY HARD at some parts! It's a very honest adult-oriented tale all about Katchoo (what a curious name!), a very feisty young blonde who would wield a REAL gun at the sudden drop of a hat and her dark-haired girlfriend named Francine who is just so innocent and gullible she'd expect any man - even a real jerk like her womanizing boyfriend, Freddie to be sympathetic with her. But poor Francine got stood up and BADLY INJURIED as a result, so the ANGRY Katchoo decides to take the matters into her own hands! Also tagging along is an angelic-faced Japanese-looking young man who likes Katchoo so much he'd patiently take any man-bashing abuse the old girl would dish out to him! Heck, you'd like the good, funny story all about love, sex, betrayal, friendship, gender issues, and the stuff as well as the really nice artwork that even has some REALISTIC-LOOKING close-ups of the characters! Additional bonus: Terry Moore also includes a handful of rejected but amusing comic strips...

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, hilarious, aesthetically pleasing!, April 6, 2000

By 

Rowan Mullen (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Collected Strangers In Paradise (Paperback)

In this short collection of the first three issues of the Strangers in Paradise graphic "Comic Book" series, the reader is introduced to the main characters of the series, Katchoo and Francine. The story centers mainly around the dynamic relationship between the two, and delves deeply into the issues of true love, trust, and friendship. It's hard to remember that Katchoo and Francie aren't real people at sometimes; while the plot is at times fantastic and a bit too action-packed to be quite real, they experience every range of human emotion, and their lives will touch yours. No spandexed, overly-endowed superheroes in this one, and the most surprising fact of all is the accuracy of Mr. Moore's perception of the female psyche. You *really will* laugh and cry with this one. The girls are beautifully drawn and accurately proportioned and the story is superb. You won't be able to stop reading. Someday, like me, you'll bite your nails down to the quick waiting for the next issue to come out and hang on every one of Terry Moore's words.