Review: Guillem March’s ‘Laura And Other Stories’ #1 Is A Beautiful, Gently Paced Story Of Unrequited Love

Laura And Other Stories #1 from Guillem March and Ablaze Comics is a translation of the early world of March that has finally been translated into English. A story of lost love and youth that any reader can relate to, male or female. It tells the bitter-sweet story of a young woman who thinks her feelings towards her best male friend will be reciprocated, but sadly not. A twenty year old who can’t seem to snap out of her melancholy mood for much of this debut issue.

As an early work of Guillem’s while it is very recognisable as his, it is not necessarily the more detailed and somewhat exaggerated stylings many came to know him by on his work on American comics such as Catwoman and, more recently, Batman, both for DC Comics. Nor is it the kind of subject matter your average reader brought up on a strict diet of superhero comics would expect either as Laura’s mood sets the tone of the book and the languid, gentle pace. It’s a very accomplished piece for the writer/artist at the start of his career and a surprise it hasn’t come out earlier than this. 

Laura #1 is a beautiful observation on young love and the pains that come with unrequited love told in a non-linear manner that sets the sad tone early on, with the reader coming to discover the origin of her sadness as the story is slowly recounted with colours that suggest the whole affair has been rendered in watercolours. A design choice that best suits the gentler, wistful narrative being told throughout this sensitive story.

Laura And Other Stories #1 is out now from Ablaze Comics