X and the City

Written by Bill Roundy
Illustrated by Bill Roundy
Self-Published

This was the comic that drew my eye to Roundy's table, a satire using one of Marvel's many mutants, Northstar. He has the distinction of being the first character the House of Ideas labeled as being gay, back when that was more controversial than it is today.

It seems that Jean-Paul is not afraid to have a one-night stand, and as he gets himself together for a lunch date with another mutant, the fling becomes a bit more complicated than he anticipated. Sometimes even a speedster has to take time to look at his life.

I really like what Roundy did with this. While the superhero trappings are cute for long-time Marvel fans like me, I thought the metaphor of running away from your responsibilities and possible commitment of a long-term relationship via a man who has super-speed was inspired. Toby, the random hook-up, tries to open Jean-Paul's eyes by closing them. It's another nice touch.

This is another short work, like Yes, Master, but it shows another side to Roundy's storytelling and is really a strong piece of writing. While I got it for the surface value, there's a good lesson to learn here. Either that, or, like Emma, I'm just a sucker for a happy ending.

If you see Roundy at a show, take a look at this one, and not for the obvious reasons. It's a well-crafted story that makes you think. I'll take that anytime.