| "Love is..." comic strip collection is famous worldwide. These soul-warming pictures have gained the sympathy of thousands of people owing to their innocence and simplicity.
Love is… comics were created by New Zealand artist Kim Grove in the late 1960s. The beginning to the strip of amusing illustrations was laid by a number of love notes for her future husband. Love is… illustrations were published not only in daily newspapers, but the most favourite were printed on greeting cards and souvenirs.
All "Love is" pictures have the same appearance. The beginning of a phrase that gave the name to the whole collection of comics "Love is…" is placed in the upper left corner of the picture. In the middle of the illustration there is a nice drawing. And under the picture there is the remainder of the phrase whose meaning is reflected on the drawing.
There are 2 key personages that make their appearance on every drawing – a pair of sweethearts, a man and a woman. They look like kids, but at the same time they embody grown-ups at various stages of romantic relationships – from the moment they met each other through being a boyfriend and a girlfriend to a married couple having kids that show up on the pictures every now and then. Among other characters that are displayed now and then there are also parents of a male and a woman. The introduction of several family members helps to reflect all the sides of love.
The key personages are usually together, but nevertheless, every now and then they turn up alone. In case one of them is thinking about the other, the face of his partner may appear in a dream balloon, on a photo, or a screen saver. There are also some illustrations where other men or women are shown. A special characteristic is that these people look totally different than the key characters. Another supporting personage is a dog that represents common house and home comfort. Moreover, the majority of the items on an illustration are heart-shaped. This is a symbol of the comic collection's major theme.
Today's "Love Is..." comic pictures, as seen in newspapers and magazines in the whole wide world, are available in the Internet. It is kind of an attempt to stretch Valentine's Day romance during the whole year. Individual pictures are becoming email greeting cards and may be sent free to a special friend. |