Love and Capes: What to Expect #2
Story and Art by Thomas F. Zahler
Review by Mara Whiteside
Love and Capes: What to Expect is definitely one of the cutest comics I read each month. With all the talk recently about super-powered couples, it’s nice to see a superhero and his spouse that really make it work.
In the first issue of Love and Capes, we find out Abby is pregnant with her first child. Her husband, Mark, is the world’s most powerful superhero The Crusader. We’ve already got some of the basics down, like the pregnancy doctor and potential hazards. Now, Abby has some reservations about being a mother. What if the baby doesn’t like her? What if she doesn’t know what to do? Abby has the same worries all new mothers have prior to the birth of their first child.
Abby continues to run her bookstore, despite her morning sickness and pesky employees. She takes her vitamins, consults with her doctor, and catches up with her family. We have to remember that Abby is a normal human. Mark has a hard time connecting with her and her “normal” concerns, but he is a great husband and listens to her. Seriously, this is the best comic book relationship I have ever seen. Mark and Abby are adorable together, and it is obvious that Mark truly cares for Abby and her wellbeing. He wants her to gain confidence in her mothering abilities, and even finds an opportunity for her to spend some time with her cousin’s baby and work through some fears.
What makes this comic book great is the style. Most comic books aren’t written with a “finish” every four-eight panels. Love and Capes reads like a comic strip presented back-to-back. Consequently, the book reads fast and jumps from subject to subject. But it works! It’s light, it’s fun, and it’s enjoyable. And that’s what comic books are about.
THE VERDICT
Buy! It’s cute, it’s happy, and a great read. Plus, the cover is downright adorable! And, at only issue 2, the story still has a lot more left. Abby has 31 more weeks left, after all!
