True Story, Swear to God: Chances Are (Paperback)

~ Tom Beland (Author, Artist)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Life is about chances. What are the chances of going to a theme park, on the other side of the coast... and meeting a person who will change your life as you know it? What are the chances of this person living on the island of San Juan, Puerto Rico, some 9,000 miles from your home in Napa Valley, California? What are the chances of a long-distance relationship such as this lasting very long? If you're California cartoonist Tom Beland and Puerto Rico journalist Lily Garcia, well, those chances are pretty good. "Chances are." combines the first four issues of Tom Beland's Eisner-nominated autobiographical series "True Story, Swear to God." A book that deals with the joys of meeting someone by chance and the heartache that comes with distance. It covers the humor, anxiety, annoyances and paranoia found in every relationship.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: AiT/PlanetLar (February 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932051090
• ISBN-13: 978-1932051094
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 6.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,633,636 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful, witty book, March 17, 2003

By	Roberto De Leon-Gonzalez (San Juan, PR United States) - See all my reviews

My wife and I were at this book's presentation at a library in San Juan the other day - bought it on the spot - read it the same day - IT'S GREAT!!!

California-bred Tom Beland shows us, in cartoons (a.k.a. comic book), how he met his future wife, Puerto Rican journalist Lily García (they worked togetheer from the second thru the fourth section of this book)). How they "clicked" and fell in love immediately, the doubts, the hopes and backstories of their romance... it's all here, from the moment they met "in a Magical Kingdom" (guess where that is) to the moment he first visits Puerto Rico and starts falling in love with the local culture... The book doesn't carry the story up to date, but since it is part of a series, it will come in an upcoming issue.

If you want to fall in love all over again with your spouse, read this one together. If you want to have a better understanding of Puerto Rican culture thru wit, read this one. Tom Beland's drawings and writing are sharp, lucid and funny... this book is to be read and treasured.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A hidden gem, April 30, 2004

By	the4thpip (Florida) - See all my reviews

Even if I wouldn't see myself in almost every page of this description of a long-distance love story, I'd be a fan of this book.
It's funny at times, then hearbreaking, then thought provoking. Both the art and the writing are highly professional, Mr. Beland is truly ready for the big times.
If you like books like Love & Rockets, Strangers in Paradise, Les Aventures Extraordinaires de Lapinot, you'll love this.

Just buy the book already, 'kay??

4.0 out of 5 stars A lovely and unique little comic.., January 7, 2005

By	Kate (Australia) - See all my reviews

This is a firm and welcomed break from the abundance of superhero comics saturating the market. Instead, Beland has created a gentle and romantic little work, chartering the development of his relationship with a Puerto Rican radio DJ he met at a bustop in Disneyland.

The artwork is light and likable and Beland is funny, warm, uncontainably romantic and eager to examine his own faults. While this is unlikely to revolutionise the comic genre, it is quick and likable and a complete break from whatever you may have read.