What tries a friendship, better than a crisis? Anyone can be friends when things are going great. As you can connect with people, common friends, interests, and sometimes simple geography plays into that. It reminds me of a friend I made back in high school. We had one friend in common. Eventually, we would become close and to this day it has outlasted most of our other friendships.

We had each other’s backs in some of our most dire situations and even then we knew were a phone call away. It became this litmus test to which I compare all of my other relationships to. Though some are similar, mine with them aren’t the same. Who do you call in a crisis? In the second issue of Live/Work, our characters come together to save a work of art before a showcase.

In one story, the team works all night to get an art installation put together in time, sacrificing everything for art. In a different story, a mysterious stranger brings in a weird object into the pawn shop, which causes everyone to wonder what exactly it is. Meanwhile, the gang searches throughout the five boroughs for a new space, one that they all can agree on.

Overall, a funny, interesting, and entertaining issue in this series about a group of artists/friends. The story by Pat Palermo is exciting and hilarious. The art by Palermo is engaging. Altogether, this series proves why Palermo is a voice everyone wants to pay attention to.

Story: Pat Palermo Art: Pat Palermo
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Who doesn’t love a good origin story, even when it comes to real people? I remember watching Nowhere Boy a few years ago and found out more about The Beatles than I ever knew. The movie explored John Lennon’s adolescent years and how he met the other members of the band. It also showed his relationship with his absentee mother and his aunt and uncle who raised him.

Needless to say, there’s something quite charming about origin stories when it comes to superheroes. The miniseries Ororo: Before The Storm gave readers the missing years before Storm became the character everyone loves. In those origin tales, we see how the heroes became who they are through their trials and tribulations. In the debut issue of Live Work, we meet a group of artists, right before the 2007 Financial Crash, as they find their way in the world.

We meet Rich and Gary, two young artists who were sharing a space with a few local artists, when one of them decides not to share the space anymore, it leaves the rest of them to look for a space to work. We also meet Veronica and Martha, as one of their works of art, is being moved around a local gallery, to a space less prominent. We also meet Mike, who doesn’t want the space any longer and Ronnie, a pretentious prim donna, who thins everyone’s art is lesser than his. By issue’s end, all their paths cross as we delightfully find out all the idiosyncrasies about each of our protagonists.

Overall, the debut issue is a beautiful love letter to just about every type of artist there is. The storylines by Pat Palermo are delightful and amusing. The art by Palermo is vivid and gorgeous. Altogether, it’s an excellent story that gives readers a day in the life of these interesting characters.

Story: Pat Palermo Art: Pat Palermo
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy