Review: Lovers Only #1 by Cathy G. Johnson, Mickey Zacchilli, and Sophia Foster-Dimino
The Toronto Comics Arts Festival (TCAF) is thoroughly in the books at this point, and after two weeks of vacation & work-inflicted internet exile, I’m finally digging into some of the books I got at TCAF. Last year I wrote a show recap, and I’m avoiding that this year, other than to say that the best day of TCAF was the day before the main show opened. This year, Youth In Decline, Space Face Books, and 2d Cloud had a reading of their show releases at the dive bar next to The Beguiling, and despite AV equipment malfunction troubleshot by Ryan Sands, the reading went really well. One of the books at the reading was Lovers Only #1 published by Youth in Decline in collaboration with Price Tapes, Mickey Zacchilli’s publishing effort.
Lovers Only #1 is 32 pages of teal and burgundy risograph comics with a full color cover. Each cartoonist has a short story centered on the theme of “teen romance.” I think many people look back at high school nostalgically, remembering the happy memories and sweet things. But teen love is complicated and hurtful; relationships grow and shatter as people try to find their way amongst the mess.
Johnson’s comic feels like the dourest of the three in the book, but it’s also the contribution I found most emotionally impactful. Johnson keys in on something unique to teen relationships, which is the corresponding relationship teens have with their parents. Parents’ expectations of their children shape and ultimately end a burgeoning friendship that Johnson’s main character has a crush on. Johnson also accesses the emotions surrounding be confused by those expectations and your own feelings, especially with regards to mental health, gender, and sexual orientation.
Zacchilli’s comic is complicated with regards to teen romance – at its core, it’s a story that reminds me of those “which guy/gal do you like best?” conversations that so often popped up around the cafeteria table, but it also a story of bullying and exploiting friendship in unhealthy ways. With Zacchilli’s frenetic style and wry sense of humor it’s also the funniest of the three comics.
Foster-Dimino ends the book with a comic that avoids the trappings of “high school” but unlike the other two comics in the anthology, calls upon a very specific time and place. The Killers’ Mr. Brightside plays on the radio as two girls sneak off to make out at the beach.  Foster-Dimino’s main character is full of self-doubt and loathing; despite having a very intimate encounter with this friend J, she seems adrift.
What’s interesting about Lover’s Only #1 is how each of the contributors accesses a very complex and emotionally fraught time in many people’s lives. These stories all hinge on the turmoil of teen life, the confusion and uncertainty that seems inescapable during high school. The earnestness and awkwardness, the growth, the pain, all of that is here in Lover’s Only #1. This is a bittersweet book worth your attention. Recommended.
Youth in Decline youthindecline is a publisher of comics and zines. You can find more of their comics at their website and get copies of their artist monograph series, Frontier, which debuted its 8th issue at TCAF.
Mickey Zacchilli spideretc, Cathy G. Johnson cathyboy, and Sophia Foster-Dimino sophiafosterdimino are cartoonists and illustrators. Here are links to their websites;
Mickey Zacchilli
Cathy G. Johnson
Sophia Foster-Dimino
snowghoul
kianamaiart
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
gracieabrams
