finally reading strangers in paradise

[dilletante]

… was this written before polyamory was invented? the characters seem otherwise very liberal in their sexuality, but…

it has that same embarrassment-humor-about-watching-people-do-a-jigsaw-puzzle-blindfolded feeling that a lot of pop media romances give me because obviously the way to create dramatic tension is to have a character attracted to

Comments

[ceelove]

I wrote in to inform Moore that what he was depicting was polyamory, and he published half of the letter (the half came off as lecturing, apparently) in the back of one of the volumes. Couldn't tell you which one, now, because I gave all mine to my niece for her 20th bd.

[dilletante]

hah! you are awesome. :) does it have your name? i'll look for it!

in as far as i've read so far, it isn't depicting polyamory-- the characters, though all three clearly each definitely in love with both of the other two, are also clearly all convinced that it isn't possible to love more than one person at the same time.

[ceelove]

I don't believe it ever depicts a healthy poly relationship, but they wrestle for several volumes with the fact that there's no neat monogamous solution. It's been a long time, but as I vaguely recall it, they do try to deal more with their poly feelings, a few volumes in. My letter would probably have been in volume 4 or later, and it probably would have had some identifying name attached, and maybe something like "from the internet." It was definitely unlike the other letters, certainly in that volume.

[chienne_folle]

I remember the first time I saw the musical Camelot, which revolves around the Arthur-Guinevere-Lancelot love triangle, I was pretty young and had not yet been exposed to polyamory, and I still thought, "Well, why does she have to choose? Arthur and Lancelot get along really well, surely they can agree to share her." Just one of many only-visiting-this-planet moments. :-)

[kcatalyst]

I'm pretty sure there isn't a "before polyamory was invented" but if there is, it definitely doesn't overlap with "after books were invented".