Set somewhere in the future, Travis and Charlie meet at a party being thrown by a man for his ‘mother’s debut’, a humanlike robot resembling the host’s dead mom. In a world where lifelike machines are replacing humans, a chance to experience ‘real love’ is rare, so when the two strangers spontaneously snog at the party, Travis is convinced Charlie might be ‘the one’ for him.
Created by Jamie S. Rich and Natalie Nourigat, ‘A Boy & A Girl’ is a fast-paced sci-fi romance that reads like a regular fiction love story, despite unfolding in scarily advanced technological times. The comic panels are filled in blue shades, which adds a surreal nostalgic charm to the futuristic novel. The artwork is simple, expressive and contemporary.
Both lead characters are charming; Travis is a Philosophy Major specialising in ‘Digital Ethics’, while the gorgeous Charlie works at a coffee shop but has some plans for her future, which doesn’t have space for a boyfriend. The plot raises some interesting questions that are never answered, but if you can ignore all the doubts that crop up in your, the graphic novel makes for a breezy read.
‘A Boy and A Girl’ is more of an extended ‘meet cute’ tale unfolding in about two days, with some fun turns and an unexpected climax. Depending on how the viewer perceives it, the ending might either seem too abrupt, or just the perfect poetic closure to Travis and Charlie’s story. Or perhaps just the beginning… since there’s definitely scope for a sequel and I wouldn’t mind reading it.
It’s a 4/5 from me.