Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Tug of War is serious business in Andrew Wheeler’s five-part comic series “Love and War,” which follows the protagonist Domo, who has been ghosted by his best friend and thrust into additional responsibilities as a co-captain of his team. To add to his woes, Domo is also burdened with taking care of the new flamboyant dancer-student, Emil.
The bright, colorful artwork by Killian NG is what keeps issue #1 interesting because, story-wise, not a lot happens. We learn that Domo is worried about his captain/friend Gabriel avoiding him after the two share a moment following their second-place win at a tug-of-war championship. It turns out that Gabriel isn’t just avoiding him but has even changed schools, which means their team no longer has a captain. Domo finds himself reluctantly competing for the top position with the ambitious and intimidating Jocasta. And then there’s the hot new student Emil.
Issue #2 delves into the bonding between Domo and Emil while also shedding light on what exactly happened with Gabriel. It appears that the protagonist doesn’t just have to participate in tug-of-war competitions, but also finds his heart torn between two different directions. Who will he choose? Will he go with the familiar friend Gabriel, who disappeared on him, or will he be drawn to the energetic and hyper Emil, who is right by his side?
“Love and War” is cute and chaotic in the first two issues and it’s hard to say where the story is going, because just 24 pages per issue is not enough! But the energy, enthusiasm and conflicting emotions of the characters is engaging so far.
You can download “Love and War” for free if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
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