Getting It Together #1 is out October 7, 2020. — **Getting It Together #1** is out October 7, 2020.

By Keigen Rea — It is genuinely delightful to have a comic that’s being marketed as a slice of life story, especially at Image. That alone makes Getting it Together an interesting and unique comic, and one that’s been on my radar since it was announced. This first issue isn’t one I’m completely head over heels for, but it goes make me confident enough to be on board for this miniseries.

This issue has a rooftop concert (maybe this book is a fantasy), and a whole lot of drama, discussing any of which would give away more of the story than I’m willing to do. One of my favorite things about this issue is the solicit, which really doesn’t give anything in the issue away. I love me a spoiler free solicit, when possible.

Being a slice of life story, you’re gonna ride or die with the characters, and I think everyone has someone to latch onto here. Sam, Lauren, and Jack each are balanced by being likable while still being interesting and relatable. They’re certainly not perfect, but they’re easy to root for. They square the young adult dramedy circle to near perfection, even if I want a little more substance out of them from future issues.

What I’m most impressed with in this issue, though, is the craft. It’s almost sneaky in its execution, keeping your attention on the characters and their drama while doing really fun stuff with panel layouts and color throughout. There’s a flashback toward the back half of the issue that breaks all of the conventions that have been set up throughout the comic. The panel borders change, the layouts are less controlled and the panel density goes way up. It’s a really cool way to identify the change in time, and everything changes back when we return. The art helps tell the story in a really tangible way and I found myself really excited to be picking it apart!

The colors are a huge selling point on this series, which is great, because I had never experienced Mx. Struble’s color art before. They do an incredible job, with one particular highlight being the penultimate page of the issue, which was genuinely devastating. Struble did that all by themselves and it was fantastic.

In all, I really enjoyed this comic, even if a good percentage of that enjoyment was the lack of this kind of story in American comics right now. I hope there’ll be more of them soon, but for now, Getting it Together will be enough.

Overall: This issue is good, and I think I’ll enjoy it more with the coming issues. It’s full of heart, and a relative rarity in the direct market. As such I plan on cherishing this series. 8/10

REVIEW - Getting It Together #1

Getting it Together #1
Writers: Sina Grace and Omar Spahi
Artists: Jenny D. Fine and Sina Grace
Colorist: Mx. Struble
Letterer: Sean Konot
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $4.99
Each extra-juicy, extra-length issue of this must-read miniseries is guaranteed to satiate even the thirstiest drama-hound! Newcomer artist JENNY D. FINE shines alongside Marvel Comics’ Iceman writer SINA GRACE and co-creator OMAR SPAHI in the all-new modern dramedy you didn’t know you needed! Sam and Jack are best friends, and Sam is dating Lauren, Jack’s indie rocker sister and roommate. Tensions skyrocket when Sam and Lauren decide to open up their long-term relationship, sending social shockwaves through their friend group and the entire Bay Area, leaving poor Jack caught in the middle! Life gets pretty messy when you’re in your 20s and your friends are your family.
Release Date: October 7, 2020
Buy It Digitally: Getting It Together #1

Read more great comic book reviews!

Keigen Rea is tired of Zoom calls, but afraid of going back to work full-time at a school with 900 students, even though he’s also working at a restaurant part-time. He thinks he can make more time by being busy, he’ll let you know if it works. Find him @primce_organa on Twitter, where normally he’s talking comics, except this week, which was largely devoted to the COVID-19-ravaged PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.