Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and that means another DC holiday anthology one-shot. Recently we had DC’s ‘Twas the Mite Before Christmas in December and DC’s Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun in October. These 80-page giants pack a lot of punch for the not-so-mighty price tag of $9.99.
This anthology has eight ten-page stories featuring a different lovelorn character. From first dates and first kisses to loves lost and loves found, the issue focuses more on romance in general than the Valentine’s Day holiday itself. Most of the stories have a pretty poignant lesson to teach. Vicki Vale learns not to judge a book by its bright green cover, while Red Tornado learns it’s better to get closure from a relationship and risk hurt feelings than to spend the rest of your life wondering “what if?” Barry Allen learns to embrace imperfections and that trying to manufacture the perfect first date through time travel will only lead to disaster. The Booster Gold story was probably the weakest of the issue, but did have a great phrase reminiscent of Dr. Who – “ill advised wibbly-wobbly time travel” that got a chuckle out of me. The story featuring a young John Constantine and his mate Gary Lester scheming to get their first kiss while also pickpocketing has a very comic-strip feel to it, especially one 16-panel sequence of the boys attempts at convincing passerby on the street to snog Gary.
Plastic Man and Wonder Woman have less luck with love in their stories. Plastic Man is looking for love in all the wrong places and has to deal with some vapid superhero chasers. But has the woman he’s been looking for been right under his nose all along? Wonder Woman’s feature is one of only two to actually take place on Valentine’s Day, Red Tornado being the other. Diana has a very different outlook on the holiday, as it usually results in all sorts of people from supervillains like Poison Ivy to regular citizens breaking laws and causing havoc in order to get the chance to ask her to be their Valentine. When Wonder Woman accepts every offer and the warring suitors meet, will it be chaos or ecstasy for the group? In the final vignette, Dick and Barbara are out on a romantic date in a swanky restaurant when the Scarecrow attacks Grant Park. It proves too much for Batgirls Cass and Steph, so our Bat-couple needs to swing in to save the day. After the Scarecrow is dusted, Dick and Babs realize a night in on the couch can be just as satisfying a date when you enjoy the company.
All in all, DC’s How to Lose a Guy Gardner in 10 Days proves to be an enjoyable romp through the love and romance of the DC universe. Important lessons about relationships are conveyed throughout, which is always nice to see portrayed in media. It’s refreshing to see happy couples and wholesome moments, which this book is full of. The issue showcases several different art styles, from cartoony to more realistic, so there’s something for everyone, no matter your taste. It’s the perfect issue to read while cuddling with that special someone in your life.
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