Shirtlifter #1 Single Issue Magazine – June 1, 2010

This is part of a series. The books have somewhat cryptic dialog and illustrations. These are gay men finding their way through a real world. They help me imagine, consider, and process my experiences. no porn stars or fantasies here. but they comfort me. because sometimes as a gay man I feel I am out of touch with the heterosexual world. these stories, all of the series, make me feel that I am AND different.

I was introduced to Steve MacIssac's work from Sticky, and was glad to discover he had his own comic. Shirtlifter is one of the few comics that accurately portray gay male relationships, without forcing the characters into straight relationship boxes. (You have a gay partner? Which one of you is the woman?). The men are masculine and hot, and three-dimensional in their development. Yes there is sex, but it's part of the story, and not just added to titillate. The latest printing of this issue is on high quality paper, and has been re-colored. If you are a fan of Sticky, make sure you pick up all of the issues of Shirtlifter.

I thought that I wouldn't object to this work's bicolor format (as opposed to simple b/w or full colour) but I found in time that I did. The colour distracts and is more of a hindrance to enjoyment than an augmenter. Good story and characters, tho.

Ok story line not as developed as I thought. Still enjoyed the read.

I did not know were the author was going with the story line.

NOT AT ALL INTERESTING,

This is uppercase-A Art. I'll explain what I mean: My other half is an artist, so I have maybe more than the average amount of "training", if you will, on how to look at and think about art. I am also reminded of a Q&A with author Stephen King, in which the interviewer asked why he writes about such dark things, and King's answer was "What makes you think I have a choice?". There's plenty of artwork out there of whatever genre or medium that's not especially deep or thoughtful...maybe it has nice lines or pretty colours or fine technique, but not much more than that. It makes the cash register ring, because a lot of people aren't looking for anything more thannice lines or pretty colours or fine technique.But when the artist really shares of himself, puts himself into his work, it comes through. And that is very much the case with Steve MacIsaac's "Shirtlifter" series. The characters are not just hot and drawn with great skill, talent, thought, and love, but are also deeply dimensional and very real. So's their internal and external discourse. My own experience with life is substantially different in the details and scenarios, but the manner in which the characters think and act and fret and decide and screw up and fix it and make it work are in close accord with my own life; I was very quickly drawn (as it were) into the stories of the characters' intertwined, complicated lives, and the plots get real traction with me. I have already read this twice and and am in the middle of time number three; I seem to discover new detail and nuance each time through.This is not a one-dimensional, one-handed whack book to be tossed (off or aside). It's got a permanent place on my bookshelf together with #2, #3, and #4. I can scarcely wait for #5.

From the 3 (so far..) Shirtlifter comics, this is the last one I read because it was out of print when I discovered Steve MacIsaac's work in  Sticky . Luckily, a recent reprint gave the chance to get it. This is not your typical gay comic (and that's a good point to me) : the mood is quite heavy, and the explicit scenes are not really the center point of the book. The story is well written, and can ring a bell for those of us which are partnered for some time.A very good start to an unusual series of comics...