Eva Cabrera

The future is queer AF!

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley.)

Out of the ruins of old Earth blossoms a new culture that's open, sexually liberated, and queer AF!

Twenty-year-old Rigo is an alien, of sorts: a human being born in space. Of Earth, but not from Earth. Rigo and her peers are generation of pioneers: space, political, social, sexual. The California's motto - "Serve the Greater Good" - is applicable to all areas of life on the ship, including the show more bunks. Among the tweens, teens, and young adults, monogamy is seen as taboo: it encourages social isolation and jealousy and works against peak genetic variation. "Friends with benefits" kinda sorta goes without saying; same-sex couplings aren't just tolerated, but accepted without question; and polyamory is the norm. Even the 'rents are a little kinky!

So when Rigo begins feeling a little too drawn to Carver, her queer and geeky lab mate, she's reluctant to give voice to these feelings for fear of being ostracized. Not to mention, coming as out conventional and old school, like her scientist parents. What's a curvy, pansexual, polyamorous refugee girl to do?

http://www.easyvegan.info/img/open-earth-03.jpg

Open Earth probably isn't for everyone. There's not much of a plot, save for Rigo's attempt to navigate her love life while keeping her self-identity intact. While technically a science fiction comic, the story could take place anywhere. Or maybe not: perhaps it will take nothing less than hundreds of years and millions of miles from our current state of being to embrace such a radical and liberated (dare I say socialist?) ethos.

Anyway, I enjoyed the characters and the society and the general world-building. There's wonderful representation here, and I'm not just talking gender identity and sexual orientation. I'd love to see additional stories set in this 'verse, perhaps featuring characters we've already met (Rigo's parents being first on the list!), or those from California's past or future.

www.easyvegan.info/2018/09/25/open-earth-by-sarah-mirk/ show less

Well, this was about the most sex positive issue of Archie comics ever. It's the one where Betty is okay that Archie has sex with Veronica, Veronica is okay that Betty has sex with Archie, and Archie is okay that Betty and Veronica have sex. And boy do they have a lot of sex.

On the space station California, polyamory is the new norm for the first generation of people to be raised on board. Rigo worries that she is in danger of reverting to her parents' icky monogamy because she wants to show more partner with one of her several lovers in an open relationship.

There is sex, there is angst, there is diversity, and it all amounts to about as much as an average Archie comics: sort of fun, kind of cute, nothing much to dwell on. show less

This was an absolute blast!! Described as "equal parts Cowboy Bebop and Broad City" and "Blade Runner meets Jem and the Holograms," Kim & Kim is a fun space romp with two kick-ass bounty hunters who take no shit.

Like, I feel if I go too much more into detail I'll just be summarizing the whole book, and really you just need to read it yourselves. However, I will say that the Fighting Kims (sorry, Kim D.) take on all comers, especially when the rent is due.

Not only are the characters a ton of show more fun, but the story also has an awful lot of heart. Both Kims have complicated family lives that rear up at the most inopportune time, along with pissing off a known galactic big bad in the course of their duties collecting a huge bounty.

Anyway, I highly recommend this one to any and everyone. show less

I like the sex-positive, poly aspects of this story, but it lacked a lot in the backstory. Also, there's something kind of empty in it? Like Rigo is searching for her thing and is substituting with sex -- and ok, fair, why not? But I hope she finds more to life.