Comics Alternative

This week's episode is a Hernandez-centric show. On it, the Two Guys with PhDs play a little catch-up with some of Gilbert and Jaime's comics that have come out over the past few months. They begin with the latest installment of Love & Rockets: New Stories (Fantagraphics), and most of the tales in this volume continue what began in last year's annual. In fact, both Andy and Derek feel that New Stories 8 can be best appreciated, and better understood, when read alongside its predecessor. Jaime's contributions -- the Princess Animus, Maggie and Hopey, and Tonta storylines -- are fairly straightforward, although the guys aren't entirely sure how Princess Animus will ultimately fit into the Love & Rockets world. (Is it similar to the Ti-Girls with Jaime playing around with the superhero genre again? Might Penny Century be involved in some way?) But things aren't as clear-cut when it comes to Gilbert's selections, all centered on Fritz in some way. Over the last two New Stories annuals, Gilbert has been mapping ou