Valentine’s Day may be over, but comic publisher Dark Horse is keeping the season of love going with the release of a new Memento-style romance comic from France called Always Never. Romance stories can be a very niche field in the comics industry. With the abundance of superhero stories and manga that dominate the market, sometimes other genres can have a hard time getting off the ground. This just means though that comic artists can bring more unique ideas to their stories though since they need to make their stories stand out against Marvel and DC. It’s safe to say that this is something author Jordi Lafebre succeeds in doing because the premise for this new comic sounds amazing.
Always Never is a new romance comic originally published in France and is finally finding its way to the US this summer. Jordi Lafebre’s tale, colored beautifully by artist Clémence Sapin, follows Ana and Zeno. They’re an older couple that are finally exploring a new relationship with each other during their retirement after years of hiding their attraction to one another. What’s fascinating though is that the story begins with the end. The reader will follow them on the blossoming of their relationship in the opening chapters and slowly work back in time to discover why it took them so long to finally get together.
The exploration of beginning with the effect and ending with the cause is a unique new angle for a story like this. Romances have experimented with this concept before, with the most notable example being Marc Webb’s (500) Days of Summer. However, the blend of Memento storytelling to work backwards from the romance’s beginning instead of shifting to random periods in the relationship to tell a story will give the reader the chance to find “a-ha” moments as they piece together where the story will begin. After all, romances begin somewhere, so it will certainly be interesting to see where the spark for these two characters originally lit and, as put by Dark Horse, to find out “what kept them apart.”
Always Never received critical praise when originally released in France. Whether they complimented the chemistry between the main characters or the Memento twist on the story, critics seem to be in love with Always Never. One review by Pipeline Comics had this to say:
“This book is about a different shape and kind of love. Make no mistake about it—this is a lighthearted romantic drama set across a long span of time. Nobody gets powers all of a sudden. Nobody turns the corner to see a monster… It’s Romantic. Drama. And it is Awesome”
With a response like this that promises a more human story with no fantastical elements, this is sure to be a story that can appeal to multiple types of people.
Always Never is currently set to be released in local comic book stores on August 3, 2022. For those that don’t have a nearby comic store, no need to worry! The new comic will also be available at bookstores on August 16, 2022. Dark Horse‘s newest French publication is bound to be a big hit because of its Memento-style storytelling, but Always Never may well also become a romance comic classic that will win people’s hearts because of its human relatability.
