The L&M Reader's Guide to Love and Rockets

"Maggie vs. Maniakk" and "100 Rooms" via

For those who like "Ti-Girls Adventures Number 34" try:

Jaime's "Maggie vs. Maniakk" in LOVE AND ROCKETS #3 (1983) is a hilarious fantasy in which Maggie finds Ultimax on skid row and becomes his sidekick, G0-G0 Girl. They finally go into battle with Maniakk and Ultimax prevails, sort of. The great part about this story (apart from the insane art!) is it's told by Maggie to a group of her friends, and each has their own reaction to Maggie's tale.

For those who want to read early Jaime, but are put off by sci-fi elements of "Mechanics" try:

One of Jaime's early epics was "100 Rooms" in LOVE AND ROCKETS #4 (1983) about Maggie and Hoppy staying with Penny Century in H.R. Costigan's mansion, ostensibly so Maggie can borrow some money for her dream boots. The main feature is of course Jaime's awesome party sequence, peopled with all sorts of odd creatures and some superheroes. This story is very character driven like later "Locas" stories, with Maggie having an affair with a mysterious man, but declaring her love for Hopey at the end of the story. With Jaime's, still developing, sophisticated storytelling we are left with only the expression on Hopey's face (who's hiding around the corner) to figure out her true feelings for Maggie (expanded version page 30, panel 7).

Love and Rockets Volume Two #16 via

For those who like "The Love Bunglers" try:

In LOVE AND ROCKETS VOLUME TWO Ray, for the first time in many years it seems, encounters Maggie at a bar while in pursuit of Frogmouth. Excerpt from "Life Through Whispers" (LRV2 #11 page 2, panels 5 + 6):

"[...]So then, I'm not two feet from the exit and blam! There
it is. My heart jolted but I still managed to make it outside"

"Damn, was it really her? Was it Maggie? Maggie with different
hair? What the hell was she doing here? Well, I know she knows Doyle, but...does
she know Vivian, too? Fuck, did she notice me? She looked right at me! My God,
what's next?"

Ray then very briefly reunites with Maggie through Frogmouth and Angel in the stories "Near Mint" and "Fine to Very Fine" (LRV2#15 and #16). Ray goes to a comics convention with Frogmouth in the first story and runs into Angel and Maggie, the second story continues as Ray spends the evening with Angel and Maggie at a couple of after-con parties. Ray's night ends on a sad notes as he leaves Maggie and goes back into the party (LRV2#16, page 6 panel 4):

"I went back into the party feelin' pretty fuckin' good.
That is, until I realized I never got any contact info from Maggie. In an
instant, I was back to my pissy, cynical self all over again."

And, that's how Jaime left Ray's short encounter with Maggie in LOVE AND ROCKETS VOLUME TWO.

I hope this helps some of you newer readers pick out a quick starting point, as all of Jaime's LOVE AND ROCKETS, WHOA NELLIE, and PENNY CENTURY stories are now in print in those chubby LOVE AND ROCKETS LIBRARY editions. I'll put out future installments of this guide if time or interest warrants.