GVN Talking Comics Review: Mad Cave Studios ‘Love Me: A Romance Story’ Issue 2 By Francesca Perillo And Stefano Cardoselli – “…more questions than answers.”

Last Time

The last time we saw our main character, Jojo, he was feeling down because Gilda, the person he was supposed to go to the movies with didn’t show up. Perhaps it was asking too much for a robot/human love connection to work. Especially since he only just met her in his cab. And while it shouldn’t have been a surprise (that’s often the fate of robots), it still hurt. His cat Frida immediately noticed the change in Jojo – he wasn’t talking as much, not singing, and he wasn’t even filling his coffee pot. More importantly, he was also being inconsistent with her feeding. Even his plants were being neglected, but to be fair, they weren’t thriving to begin with.

You broke my heart, Gilda

In fact, the only chore that he DID keep up with was the vacuuming. And that was probably more because the constant noise helped drown out his melancholy. This went on for weeks until his phone rang. Initially, he almost didn’t hear the call over the noise of the vacuum. But upon answering, he immediately recognized Gilda’s voice. She seemed frightened and asked for his help. She said she was at Alfios before the line went dead.

Frida couldn’t believe the woman’s audacity. Jojo had heard nothing for weeks and now, she called him asking for his assistance. Not that he would ask HER opinion, but she would have told him to ignore the plea for help. He was only setting himself up for more disappointment and heartbreak. Not to mention there was no telling WHEN he would feed her if something else bad happened.

The Story behind Gilda

Jojo sought advice from Wizard, his boss at the taxi service. After Jojo explained the situation, Wizard seemed to recognize the names involved. He informed Jojo that he was heading into trouble. Alfios, the place Gilda had told him about, was the headquarters of the Polpette Mafia Family. Led by Alfonso Polpette, the Polpettes control the entire city, including construction, commerce, and drug trafficking. But whenever the family encounters legal issues, they rely on their family lawyer, Gilda.

To make matters worse, for Jojo anyway, Alfonso’s son Carmelo is a ruthless, cold-hearted killer who happens to be in love with Gilda. Carmelo has attempted to woo Gilda into a relationship, but she has turned him down…twice. Regardless, that is not likely to make him appreciate someone else trying to steal “HIS” girl. Wizard would suggest that Jojo forget all about Gilda. Despite this sound advice, Jojo is determined to go and save her. Besides, he finds it hard to believe the girl he met could be working for such people. Seeing as how they bonded so quickly during a short cab ride. Reluctantly, Wizard tells Jojo the address of Alfios.

Where’s Gilda?

It was raining as Jojo headed towards his destination, which seemed to match his mood perfectly. Upon reaching the restaurant, he noticed a sign that said, “We Don’t Serve Robots.” This didn’t bother Jojo, as he wasn’t there for a meal anyway. However, as he entered, the tough-looking individuals inside informed him that they were closed, despite the sign indicating otherwise. After Jojo pointed that out, Carmelo told him that he had misread the sign. After another brief exchange, Jojo inquired about Gilda. Only to be met with a blow to the head with a baseball bat (shattering the bat). The toughs should have known then, THEY were in trouble.

And trouble it was as Jojo went through them like he does his huge pot of coffee in the mornings. Soon the only one left was Carmelo. Jojo once again asked where Gilda was. Carmelo told Jojo that Gilda was his. He would not tell him regardless. Mainly because he had no idea what Jojo wanted with her. “I always respond to a request for help,” Jojo explained, once again asking for her whereabouts. Carmelo’s response was to aim his gun at Jojo’s head and to pull the trigger. Not fast enough. Jojo pushed his arms up, forcing Carmelo to miss and then punched him through the restaurants front window. As he lay on the ground, Jojo stepped forward and asked one more time: “Where’s Gilda?”

Thoughts

So, in two issues we have learned these things. Frida the cat has a very good grasp on Jojo’s psyche and the goings on in their home. While Jojo is normally an upbeat individual, he doesn’t think things through when he is obsessed with feelings of love. He also has a darker side that when unleashed will open up a whole can of Robot Whoop-Ass if provoked. Whether that will get him into more trouble is yet to be seen. You don’t normally remain healthy confronting a Mafia family. Plus, I doubt that Alfonso is going to let this insult to his family go unanswered.  But most important to him, Jojo still doesn’t know where Gilda is.

Issue #2 adds another element to the narrative. While the first issue gave the appearance of just an unrequited love scenario between robot and human, Francesca Perilla has now thrown a Mafia crime family into the mix. I guess any love worth pursuing is worth pissing off the local crime lord. At least as far as Jojo is concerned. However, is Gilda just using Jojo for her own ends? You don’t become the “Tom Hagen” of the family without knowing some things that the family wants to keep hidden. Perhaps too MANY things. That might explain why she is in trouble now. But that’s a whole lot of supposition only two issues in. Of course, getting the reader to ask questions is one of the main goals of the writer. So far so good Francesca. Because we definitely have more questions than answers.

Mad Cave Studios Love Me: A Romance Story, Issue 2,’ by Francesca Perillo, Stefano Cardoselli, Lorenzo Scaramella and Buddy Beaudoin is available now where great comics are sold.